May Sleep Come Swiftly
by Slithersong
Summary: Hogwarts has decided to revive an old tradition of Apprentice and Master. Therefore, select graduates will be returning to their old school to continue learning in a more specified capacity. Among the students chosen in an 18 year old Ginny Weasley, who is in for a bit more than she bargained for. {{This is an AU where the 5th-7th book don't exist. No one is dead or married.}}
1. Ch 1 - Apprentice Ceremony

A/N: This story takes place in an alternate universe where books 5-7 didn't happen because they were SAD. (And also because they would ruin the base premise of my story)

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Ginny took a deep breath and plunged her hand into the upturned sorting hat. Hogwarts had begun a new apprenticeship that had select students return after graduation to intern with specific professors, and the name that she pulled from the hat would tell her what the next few years of her life were going to be. Crossing her fingers she hoped for Professor McGonagall. Though she would be delighted to get Prof. Sprout, or even Flitwick! The hat was supposed to match them with the best possible match, just as it did for their house almost eight years ago.

Once she had been paired with a Professor she would become their full time apprentice, just like in the days of yore. She would live with them, run errands for them, work as their assistant in class, and most importantly learn from them. In all honesty Ginny was fine with any Professor at the school... except one. With her hand in the hat a single crumpled slip of parchment materialized in her palm and gingerly she pulled it from the ancient hat. With a deep breath she opened the parchment and read the name.

"SEVERUS SNAPE"

Ginny groaned inwardly. She glared at the cursed slip of paper and nearly threw it back into the blasted hat it came from. The sorting hat chuckled and she looked down to see it's ghastly upside-down smile. It winked at her and she wanted to punt it across the room. Maintaining her composure she held her head high and returned to the apprentice table. The names were not read aloud so that every student would have the hopeful glimmer of suspense, and not sort out their own professor before their turn.

She did her best to focus on her breathing as she took her seat, doing her best not to make contact with the expectant eyes that tried to pries answers from her without her speaking. She would give them nothing. The mockery didn't have to start any sooner than necessary, did it? She looked down the line at the other apprentices that had already drawn their futures from the god-forsaken hat.

Hermione was sitting tall with a Cheshire grin, she had probably gotten McGonagall. They had both wanted her, and of course that bookworm had to get her instead. It was simply unfair! Neville looked pleased as well, there was a good chance he had also gotten his first pick. Obviously he wanted Sprout. The only one who didn't seem happy in the least was Draco, but his sour expression made sense now. She looked down at the parchment in her hand again.

The bold green letters almost seemed to be mocking her. She hoped that if she read it enough times the name would change into someone -anyone- else. To no avail. In a few minutes all of the apprentices had their names and were seated again. They had eaten dinner before "the choosing", and now "the reception" began. They had been thoroughly briefed on the order of the ceremony and had been walked through it several times. It had been so exciting in the practice runs, but now it was like silent torture.

Of course the entire Weasley family had come to observe, they had two children in the ceremony. Oddly enough it had not been Ron who had been chosen to return to the school. All Hogwarts alumni had been allowed to submit their names, but the only one apprentice over the age of 19 had been chosen. Her brother Charlie. Out of the countless thousands of names, only seven had been chosen. Submissions had come from around the world, all put into the goblet of fire. In the end Hermione, Neville, Charlie, Draco, Harry, a Ravenclaw girl she didn't know and herself had been chosen. Technically even the Professors could have put in their own names, but to her knowledge none of them had done that.

It was exceptionally odd that Charlie had been called back from Romania to assist at Hogwarts. It was almost as odd as him submitting his name in the first place. Hagrid and her mother had teamed up to convince him to submit his name, and he had grudgingly sent it in for their sake. He had left Hogwarts in his sixth year, so perhaps the goblet felt he had an education to finish.

Finally it came time for all of the students to announce their professors. Many of the professors already had students, but many more did not. The professors who lacked apprentices moved to stand before the head table in a line, and the apprentices were to approach the professor they had been chosen for. The professors stood, and one at a time the apprentices joined them as the hall filled with applause.

Neville, as expected, strode to Professor Sprout and gave her a flourishing bow. Sprout looked positively giddy and the hall echoed with cheering. Herimone stood next and Ginny watched as the girl had to force herself not to skip as she raced over to Professor McGonagall. McGonagall gave her a nod as Charlie strode up to receive a beaming smile and a monstrous bear hug from Hagrid. There was a slight twinkle in Hagrid's eye that made her wonder if he was going to cry. They were going to have a fun two years.

The Ravenclaw girl practically leaped from her chair to stand beside the hovering Professor Binns, and for the first time Ginny saw the flicker of a smile on the old ghosts face. Ginny couldn't fathom her excitement, but to each their own. It was still better than Snape. Next Harry moved in to greet Remus Lupin and they shared a mischievous smile that hinted towards coming years of crazy adventures.

As Draco stood he shared a look of dread with Ginny, and for a brief moment it was as though they understood one another. They both knew that the next two years were not going to be what they anticipated. He hung his head as he walked past Professor Snape, giving the potions master a confused start. Severus, and Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy looked bewildered as Draco took his place beside Madam Hooch. There was stiffed clapping as the only smiles in the room were that of Madam Hooch, Dumbledore, and the bloody sorting hat.

Hesitantly Ginny rose to her feet and plodded towards the row of teachers. They gazed at her expectantly, and Professor Flitwick clapped excitedly. She was sorely tempted to walk over to him, and the sorting had be damned. She looked to her parents and saw them already readying their hands to clap. There was a cough somewhere in the back of the silent hall. Ginny finally stepped up to Severus Snape, not looking up from her shoes. She didn't want to see his glare of revulsion, or a snide grimace. There was no applause.

If she had looked up, she would have seen Snape's confused gaze staring at her, and then around the room. Searching the tables for help. He looked up at Professor Dumbledore who chuckled, but offered no assistance. A random Hufflepuff clapped softly, not comprehending the tension in the air. Dumbledore finally moved forward announcing the end of the apprentice ceremony, and giving the parents permission to come and congratulate their children.

Snape stared down and the top of the red head in front of him, unsure of what to do next. The Weasley's went to congratulate Charlie, but merely stared in the direction of their youngest. They seamed unsure of whether to congratulate her or try to console her. Either way, Ginny did not want to hear any of it. Finally she ran from the great hall, tears streaming down her face. She wanted to be a great wizards apprentice, not spend the next two years of her life hiding in a dungeon with an angry bat of a man.

Snape stared at Professor Dumbledore, an uncharacteristically slack-jawed expression on his face. "She's your apprentice." Confirmed Dumbledore, and he made a sweeping gesture with his hand that suggested Snape should go after her. His bewilderment transformed into a furious scowl as he stormed after the red head, his cloak sweeping outward as he glided past the crowds of people. Old students or classmates of his scrambled to get out of the war path as he swept from the room.

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A/N: Yeah, I know I didn't keep with any of the book stuff. I'm just going for what sounded fun. And having Remus around sounded like fun. So yeah, he's still teaching here. Sirius Black is probably here somewhere to congratulate Harry as well.


	2. Ch 2 - Starry Night

As Snape stormed from the main hall, he began to wonder how he was going to catch up to the sobbing ginger. Of course she would be crushed to be stuck with him for the next two years. Honestly, when Draco had been chosen to return to the school it had seemed obvious for him to become the potions apprentice. Though... Draco's potions grades had never been particularly excellent. He wasn't bad, but he certainly wasn't the top of the class. While a Weasley certainly wasn't his first choice of apprentice, she was definitely better than any of her brothers. Or worse, Granger.

As he exited the hall he was lucky enough to see a wisp of copper hair turning a corner. He followed. He kept his footfalls silent, so that he would know where she was off to before she knew she was being followed. Snape grumbled silently to himself. He had not been prepared to handle a Gryffindor, worse yet a female Gryffindor. Finally the ginger slowed, and he matched her pace. She had gone up several flights of stairs and he was becoming a little bit curious where she was heading.

A few more flights of stairs and they emerged on the platform of the astronomy tower, used for viewing the stars. At last, the sobbing girl flopped into a heap on an observation bench to cry out her sorrows. Severus stepped into the shadows and vanished from view. He would allow her to fully exert herself before interrupting. The apprentice ceremony had taken place in the late evening, so the night stars were just beginning to emerge. Severus couldn't remember the last time he had sat an looked at the stars. Certainly he had been outside at night many times, but rarely to just gaze at the eternal depths of the sky.

On a clear night like this he could understand why some wizards devoted themselves to the sky the way he devoted himself to potions. It was a moonless night, but that served to make the stars that much brighter. Severus listened to the girl crying, it had become a bit softer. She would tire herself out soon. He listened as she began speaking to the cosmos.

"Why him! Of every professor in this blasted school, why him!" She shouted, her voice cracking slightly with tears. Severus sighed softly to himself, he could certainly understand that feeling.

"I don't want to spend the next two years of my life with someone who hates me!" Her voice was stronger now, as she voiced her objections to the night. Severus cringed slightly. Was that really what she thought? The only one he hated was Potter, and that was namely for his... well... everything. He hated Potter. He looks too much like his bloody father, James. The only problem was he acted more like Lily. He certainly wasn't fond of Weasley's, but hadn't she been the top of his class? He remembered throwing more than one rebuke at every one of her brothers, but he could not remember reprimanding her. Certainly he had made some small corrections on her potions, but over-all she was one of the best Gryffindors he had ever taught. Why would she think she hated him?

The more he thought about it, the more he could not remember ever complimenting her. He never gave her a job well done. She was a Weasley after all. But she resembled her family in looks alone. She was smarted than her brothers, smart enough to be a Slytherin even. She may have only been placed in Gryffindor because that was where all Weasley's go.

If an onlooker had seen him stalking in the shadows the way he did, they would have thought him a predator ready to pounce. His eyes held a scowl, and his mouth a grimace. But had Lily still been around to comment on his composure, she would have seen the hurt in his eyes, the worry in his demeanor. She would have noticed his nervous swallow as he tried to sort out what to do next. The sorting hat had paired them for a reason and he was failing her before they had even started.

Ginny's crying had softened, and Snape had to do something fast before she turned and saw him standing behind her. Snape reached over to the door that concealed the stairs below that hung slightly ajar, to close it hard enough to make an audible smack. He would pretend that he had only just found her and had stepped into the observatory that moment. *Smack*

Ginny spun around at the sound, shocked that someone had found her hiding place so rapidly. Her puffy red eyes turned into a sour scowl as she realized who had found her. "What do you want." She hissed, trying to simulate anger rather than crushing defeat.

"I am your master. Your condition is now my concern." He said with a cool air, sweeping over to sit next to her on the bench.

"My "Master"? Ugh! What, are you simply ecstatic you get a Weasley to mock for another two years? Were you worried you wouldn't have one to humiliate until Bill had kids old enough for you to torment?" Her seething words were filled with acid and hate. Had they been from a student he would have docked her house points and given her detention. But she was a student no longer.

"It is my position to educate you in potions until you become a potions master yourself. You did not graduate so long ago that I would have forgotten your grades." His voice remained impassive and cold.

"What. So you came all the was here to make fun of me for my grades? Are we going to go over what questions I missed on my O.W.L.s now?" Her words were biting, and caught slightly on her raw throat.

"What fun is there to be made? Your grades in potions were excellent. I care little about your grades in your other courses." He looked up at the sky and watched a shooting star streak across the deep black abyss.

"Yeah? Well I-" She froze mid sentence and glared at him, the streaks of her tears glittering slightly in the starlight. "What did you say?" She asked, her tone disbelieving.

"You were the top of the class. You are excellent at potions and the sorting hat was right to place you in that profession." His mouth went dry with the discomfort of complimenting a Weasley, but this was no longer a student he could shove out the door at the end of the period. He tried to remain staring at the sky in an aloof manner, but couldn't help but to glance down and see if his words had the intended affect.

The Weasley girls mouth moved slightly, but no sound came out. Her eyes were wide and the scorn in them was ebbing away. She sat silently staring at the sky for a long while until finally she turned back to him with only one word. "Really?"

He gave a solemn nod, but did not betray himself by looking away from the sky. Together they sat and stared at the sky, a second an third shooting star sped past.

"I should get back in there and face my family." The Weasley girl grumbled, a sour expression muddying her features once again as she began to stand.

"Why?" Severus asked, still looking at the stars. He knew they would be just as, if not more, disappointed for her to be his apprentice. He was not well liked by the Weasley clan. He couldn't fathom why she would want to speak to them right now. Especially as they were in the process of showering one of her other many siblings with praise.

The Weasley girl froze and her face went blank." I... I don't know." She plopped back down on the bench and gazed into the endless night. "So... What now?" She asked, her voice much softer than it had been before.

Severus blinked. "What." He stated simply in a slightly sharp silky tone.

"Well. I'm not your student now, so you can't give me detention. I'm not a Gryffindor, so you can't take away points. What happens now?" Her tone was hollow and emotionless.

"Correct. What happens next is that I will teach you potions. If I do so well enough you will excel beyond my abilities, and become a potions master in your own right." He stated with a definitive nod.

"But after everything I said, how are you going to punish me? Do I have to write an essay? Are you going to lecture me?" She asked, rubbing the dry tear stains from her cheeks.

"Miss Weasley, you are no longer a child, nor are you a student. I am as surprised as you at this turn of events. I'll not reprimand you the way I would a first year. You spoke your mind, as as one adult to another I will respect that." He voice remained cold and distant, as though he were explaining this to a chalkboard.

She stared at him for a long moment in silence, then she stared at the sky. The redness around her eyes was beginning to go down and he took that as a good sign. "It's Ginny." She said softly to the stars.

"I beg your pardon?" He asked with a start.

"My name. It's Ginny. If we're both going to be adults, I guess we have to start acting like it." She had an excellent point. Dumbledore had reminded him on multiple occasions of the importance of building a trusting relationship with his apprentice if he ever got one. She was his first. This seemed like a step in the right direction.

"...Severus." He said in a slightly gentler tone, hoping the cover of night would conceal the slight tingling in his cheeks as his brain began to realize that he was in fact talking to a young woman and not a little girl. He couldn't help himself and gave her an involuntary sidelong glance. An exceptionally pretty young woman. Her face had cleared of both redness and tears, and she gazed at him with her bright brown eyes. Severus trained his eyes back on the star spattered sky, not letting his face betray his emotions.

This was going to be an interesting two years.

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A/N: Nice comments make me write faster!


	3. Ch 3 - Tea for Two

With the apprentice ceremony nearing its end Ginny went back down to say her final goodbyes to the friends and family that came to watch. Many halting tongues tried to blunder out mixtures of congratulations and condolences, but regardless of what they said Ginny was finding herself slightly more hopeful. Draco stared at her with a mixture of longing and jealousy as Madam Hooch adamantly explained to him the finer points of aerodynamics, oblivious to his disinterest.

Ginny wasn't feeling better exactly, but self pity wasn't going to make her situation any better. Not to mention, Snape's behavior suggested that it wasn't going to be as bad as she had initially feared. There was nothing more to do today than handle her family, and remember that no matter what happened she had at least one brother here to talk to.

Mrs. Weasley put a comforting arm around her shoulder, "Remember dear, this is all at will. You can always decide you want to come home and no one will think less of you for it." Ginny knew her mother was trying to help, but it certainly wasn't making the situation any better.

"Rough luck. Sorry sis." Ron chimed in. "I know I'd turn back in a heartbeat. I know I couldn't handle dealing with that bloke every day again." Ron clapped her on the back and then left to congradulate Harry and Hermione. Ginny had heard enough.

"You know what. I'm fine. I'm not going to give up and walk away. I like potions, and if the hat thinks I can do this than I'm going to give it my best." She snapped moving out of her mothers attempt at a comforting embrace.

"Of course dear. We'll keep your room ready for you." Her father said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Weren't they even listening to her?

After the ceremony Ginny looked for Snape, realizing she had no idea where she was supposed to stay. Looking around she realized he had not come back to the main hall at all. She retraced her steps to the astronomy observatory. There he sat, still staring at the stars just the way she had left him.

"You didn't come back to the celebration." Ginny said, stepping into the starlight.

"You are... correct." Snape said, lost in thought.

Ginny scratched her elbow awkwardly and an owl hooted somewhere in the distance. "Where do I sleep?" She asked, and he gradually turned his attention towards her his searching black eyes looking deep into hers.

He made a low hum of affirmation and stood to glide past her. She opened her mouth to say... to say what? Thank you for acting like a human for once? He stopped to listen, his black eyes only a few feet from her own. In them she could see the reflecting stars. She couldn't think of a thanks that didn't sound condescending, and instead found herself just staring at him. To her surprise, he stared back.

When he seemed to decide she had nothing more to say he swept past her, and she scrambled to follow him back down the long wandering stairwells, and eventually into the winding dungeon tunnels. She was not looking forward to trying to find her way without him. A left, a right, two more lefts... And she was lost. She had classes down here! But none of her classes happened wherever they were now.

Finally they reached a blank wall with a serpent sconce on either side with green flickering flames. Tracing a serpent engraved on the wall with his wand tip, Ginny watched as the wall melted away in green flickering flames. Even after living in the Hogwarts castle for seven years, it still held surprises for her. The apprentices were supposed to live with their masters, so Ginny was going to be stuck living here with Snape. Taking a deep breath she followed him through the new doorway and was in awe of what she found.

The slanted ceiling above was a pitch black void, darker than any black paint. It definitely left an eerie impression, she hoped she could get used to it. Green lamps illuminated the room with a comforting glow. In the center of the right wall was one large fourposter bed, drooping silver and green curtains hanging from the ceiling around it. A couch with green and silver blankets stood against the left wall a bookcase next to it. On the far wall was an open door to a large lavatory and a closed door next to that. Next to the door stood a full potions desk, clearly the most used thing in the room with several books open around it. Next to the bed a small dresser and a third door.

Ginny kept waiting for Snape to do something Snape-ish like Ron always talked about, but instead he removed his cloak and placed it on the chair at his potions desk. He flicked his wand and lit a fire under his cauldron, levitating in some water from the lavatory. She assumed the second door would lead to a spare room for her to stay in, but when he opened it she saw that it was some sort of cacophonous combination of closet and potion ingredient storage. Her room must be through the tird door.

It was true, she was in Professor Snape's bedroom. If boggarts could turn into situations, this would certainly be one designed for her. She tried pinching herself, maybe it was just a really bad nightmare? At the same time though, the room was quite lovely. Ginny walked to the middle of the room and stood awkwardly. Snape gestured for her to sit on the couch, and she did so. It was hard not to feel stiff and awkward. She was in the living space of her least favorite professor.

"Tea?" Snape asked entering the small closet, and she heard a shuffle and small crash.

"Y-yes please. Do you need help Professor?" She rose half way, but a hand emerged from the closet and waved her back down. The room was exceptionally clean, and Ginny was beginning to wonder if it was because everything extra had been shoved into the closet. She figured he had probably done all of the cleaning for Draco, and she hadn't decided how that made her feel. It was clear he wanted the first impression of this personal space to be a good one, but he had also likely wanted it to be an impression on anyone but her.

"What sort do you prefer Miss Weasley?" He asked from the closet after a loud shuffle. She was being unfair though. She was treating this like it was the end of the world, and so far Snape hadn't done anything particularly mean to her. Sure he had been quite a lot of trouble for Ron and his friends, and all of her brothers had a disliking for him. But she found herself wondering why. What exactly had he done that was so terrible?

"Mostly anything fruity. Ginger peach if you have it." Ginny called from the couch. Instinctually she wanted to race in and tidy up the closet for him, but she had a strong feeling that was a terrible idea. Still, the only thing he had ever personally done to her was to be a bit creepy and seem like a generally unhappy person. But him being grim was less of a personal attack on her and more of a general issue he had with the world at large. She knew bits of his story, but there was a good chance the only one who knew the whole story was Snape himself.

Snape emerged from the closet reading the back of a small black container. "Black chocolate raspberry?" He asked in a low smooth tone, ignoring the chaos of the closet by closing the door on it.

"That would be delightful!" Ginny said, her eyes meeting his once again before he turned to the cauldron and scooped some tea into it. His eyes were so sad. Even though she had been his student for years, Ginny had never spent any time with Snape outside of the classroom. She didn't even know if he had any interests beyond potions. "So... do you have any interests?" Ginny asked bluntly, it was an awkward start but it was better than sitting in silence.

"I am a potions master." He responded in a dry tone, not turning from the cauldron. Ginny chuckled to herself and he turned to her with a slightly blank expression.

"I mean besides potions. Is there any music you like? Do you collect anything? Are there any events you like to go to?" She was trying to keep it open-ended, but also get to know a little more about him. Snape looked almost surprised, but rapidly turned thoughtful as he turned back to the cauldron. His expressions were extremely minute, the barest muscle twitch before the mask went back up. His face seemed to look angry naturally, his voice low and menacing would reassure that thought. Maybe that was just his version of neutral.

"I enjoy... Gustav Holst." He stated precisely. Ginny furrowed her brow in confusion. She felt like she should know who that was. Rather than explain he opened the closet door again, thought better of himself before entering and levitated out a record player. He set it on the empty dresser. The way it fit perfectly gave Ginny the impression that it had been tucked away in the obvious clean up. Soon the record player was pouring out the most beautiful melody she had ever heard. It began with a chorus of echoing voices singing in eerie harmony, slowly joined by what she assumed was violins.

"Whats song is this?" She asked as the music rose and the voices began to sing "For life and joy". The music was beautiful and soulful, unlike anything she had ever heard before. The music filled the small room, even though it still played only softly.

"...Ode to death." He finally answered her question as he moved the tea to a teapot he had retrieved from the closet. It was white with small blue flowers, and from it he poured two cups. Ginny gratefully accepted her cup also accepting a lump of sugar as well.

"This music is absolutely gorgeous!" She gingerly sipped the hot tea, cradling it to enjoy the aroma. "This tea is lovely as well, thank you Professor!" Perhaps this wouldn't be quite as bad as she had feared.

"Of course Miss Weasley." He said in a silky tone.

"I said you could call me Ginny." She mumbled into her cup. She used the cup to avoid looking at his face, she didn't want to see what he looked like when she corrected him.

"I am aware." His sentence hung in the air as though a portion of it was being left unsaid. He sat down on the other end of the couch with his own cup. He didn't sound angry. Possibly amused. She looked up at him and the barest hint of a smile tugged at his mouth, and she realized what he was getting at.

"Thank you for the tea... Severus." She hoped that the rising blood in her cheeks would be masked by her general freckled complexion. Why was it so different to call him that?

"You're welcome, Ginny." He nodded, his eyes glinting with something a touch mischievous. It now struck her full force that with the addition of a smile, no matter how slight, his voice turned into something much more sultry than she had realized. Her blush was certainly no longer hiding, and his eyes lingered on her for a heavy moment before casting themselves about the room.

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A/N: Nice comments make me write faster!

Thank you PiffyEQ! I hope you're right! But masks can be quite slow to come down haha

Vani12, thank you! Hopefully I'll be able to keep it interesting. My husband helps me write, so hopefully I'll be able to continue updating rapidly.


	4. Ch 4 - A Steamy Evening

Severus thumbed his tea cup, doing his best not to reveal how uncomfortable he felt. This was the first time he had ever had a female in his living quarters. He had been dreading her chattering endlessly as one of her brothers no doubt would. Instead she sat in silence listening to his favorite album. For once he found himself reaching for something to say to fill the void. He looked down at her from the corner of his eye. Her face was significantly more red than usual, and he began to scour his brain for a conversation topic.

"Do you listen to music?" He drawled, trying to sound absent and uninterested.

"I love music!" Her eyes lit up, "My favorite band is Poets of the Fall. They have some incredible music. The song Fragile makes me cry every time I listen to it." He made a mental note of that. He would check later to see if her musicians made records.

"I see." He stated simply, and she quickly resumed staring into her tea cup. "Your room is through that door. Please make yourself comfortable when you see fit." He gestured towards the door. Originally that had been where his fourposter resided, but with the hope of a guest he had turned it into a suitable room for another. It had a bed, a dresser and its own closet. All cleaned out and ready for the use of another. Was that all she needed? What sorts of things did females need?

The Weasley girl expressed her gratitude, and he nodded in reply. Would she be more comfortable if he decorated the room in garish red and gold? It made his stomach turn to think of his room in those colors. She may have to suffice with green. When she had finished her tea, he offered her more and began tidying up. He had several potions that needed to be brewed before the start of the school year. Wolfsbane for that blasted werewolf. A cleaning agent for Filch. Hagrid needed more flesh eating slug repellent... the list went on.

He began preparing the wolfsbane so that it would be able to sit overnight, and found the ginger hovering over his work station. "Can I help you?" It sounded more like a growl, but he wasn't accustomed to having anyone in his space. The Weasley lept back, and covered her mouth in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry professor, I was just curious what you were brewing." She muttered, clearly more taken aback than he had intended. He was silent for a few moments as he added things to the cauldron.

"Wolfsbane. Grind these for me Miss Weasley, they must be a fine powder or Lupin will not retain control of himself." He pushed a mortar and pestle in her direction with a handful of wormwood and a pinch of newt eye. She looked glad to assist, and together they prepared the base ingredients for Lupin's potion. She rapidly absorbed herself in the activity, and began reading through the book for the next procedure.

From the corner of his eye he watched her work. She followed the directions precisely, and read carefully through his notes occasionally commenting on his ingenuity. Working with her was actually just a bit... nice.

When the potion was prepared to settle for the night, Severus suggested she use the facilities first to wash off the efforts of the day. She tucked her red hair behind her ear with a dainty hand and moved to retrieve a change of cloths. He waited awkwardly in the main room trying to avoid thinking about the shower that he could hear clearly through the door. He was glad for her absence when a blush rose to his cheeks as he failed to keep his imagination in check.

At last she emerged with her hair wrapped up in one of his green towels. She looked surprisingly fetching in what appeared to be ancient sweatpants and and old shirt. "Your night attire is highly... unusual." He commented dryly. Had those pajamas belonged to the eldest and been passed down through the line? He hadn't intended to sound mocking, but her expression suggested it had come out that way. He was extraordinarily bad at this.

She hung her head as she sulked back to the room he had prepared. He was doing a poor job of making her feel welcome. He took his things and went to take an evening shower after her. He made another mental note that she could use some actual sleepwear that was younger than she was.

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In the shower Severus enjoyed the feeling of the hot water pouring over his skin. He washed his hair thoroughly, but he knew it was going to lay flat and oily no matter what he did. Glancing at the floor he realized with a shock that she had accidentally left something exceptionally personal and lacy in the lavatory. It must have slipped out of her hands when she was taking her things back to the guest room.

His cheeks flared red and he realized it was going to be much more difficult than he thought to keep his thoughts of her under control. She had been one of his students. He remembered the first time he had seen her. She had scampered past with her family in the market, her long hair reminding him so much of Lily's. He had always been fond of red hair.

He recalled her first day of potions and how she had glowed over her cauldron, a natural potions master from the beginning. He realized even in those early days that she showed so much promise. But she was no longer a child. She was a fully mature young woman. And evidently a young woman that wore lace. That was an article of clothing that most certainly was not passed down from her brothers.

* * *

Ginny marveled at the enormous bathtub in Snape's lavatory. it was easily big enough to fit several people, and she looked forward to having a chance to try it. She had thoroughly enjoyed her shower and the only downside had been having to present herself in her brothers hand-me-down pajamas. She was 18, but had still never had her own new cloths. She shuffled through her things to put them away and realized with horror she had accidentally left something exceptionally personal in the lavatory. But now the professor was in the loo and she couldn't go back to retrieve it. She would have to try to sneak in as soon as he was out.

With any luck, Snape wouldn't notice it. Ginny put fresh cloths for the morning beside her new bed and lay down to stare at the ceiling and wait for Snape to finish his shower. She could have sworn she saw something move in the inky blackness of the ceiling. No, it must have been her imagination. Crawling under the covers she curled into a ball to wait. How was she going to do this? Not to mention, how was she going to sleep in this cold empty room with the void hanging above her head. The silk sheets were chilly, but despite her discomfort she was asleep much sooner than she had anticipated.

* * *

A/N: Nice comments make me write faster!

Vani12: Thank you so much! You actually inspired a bit of that last chapter. Fast updates are so much easier when I receive a lot of feedback haha it inspires me!

PiffyEQ: I'm doing my best to hold true to the origional characters while also adding a new spin. I could see her reservations as believable, but try as I might I couldn't recall any personal issues Ginny would have with Severus. The golden trio had pleanty, but Ginny was rarely with them for those instances. Thank you!


	5. Ch 5 - Breakfast

\- Day 1 -

Ginny's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment she was filled with confusion. Where was she? The walls were green, the blankets silver. Rolling on her back she was filled with awe. The ceiling was no longer an inky blackness, but a moving sea of blue and green. Fish of all types swam past and for a moment she thought she saw a tentacle. She was below the lake! She had heard that the Slytherin dorms resided below the lake, but she had never seen it for herself! Though she was more than a little intimidated about sleeping under several tons of water.

She put on her fresh cloths and braced herself for the day. Maybe Snape hadn't even noticed what she had left in the lavatory! With a deep breath she left her room. Snape was in the central room, dressed and working on the wolfsbane potion. he did not acknowledge her. She scuttled to the lavatory to brush her teeth and retrieve her things. Blushing furiously she returned her things to her room. Of course it had to be the lacy one.

Snape did not turn around, so she prayed he had not noticed at all. He seemed quite absorbed in his own world. When she had calmed herself, she stepped in to assist him at the potions table. Together it took them only a few moments to sort the potion out so that it could spend another few hours simmering. Together they wound their way up the passages to the main hall for breakfast.

What she found gave her a start. Six haggard looking assistants, each disheveled in their own way, sitting at the main table in the great hall next to their professors.

Malfoy had twigs and a leaf sticking out of his hair and she could hear him arguing with Madam Hooch. "A free-fall dive from the roof of the castle is NOT a "fine" way to start the day!" He snapped, the leaf fluttered down to the table.

"I told you to pull up at ten feet, not eight! Of course you crashed into that bush. According to simple physics-" Ginny chuckled to herself and stopped listening. It was clear that Draco had his work cut out for him.

Charlie was sponging at a bleeding gash in his arm, and he was glaring at Hagrid who seemed to be on the defense. "I dun told ya," Hagrid was trying to explain, "Thems hodags got to be fed from afar. Ya can't get so close to their cage." He said, thumping Charlie on the back. Charlie rolled his eyes and turned his attention to his food, letting the cut on his arm bleed through the napkin.

The Ravenclaw girl had dark circles under her eyes and her fingers in her ears. Professor Binns was actively lecturing her on the genealogy of Helga Hufflepuff, and Ginny got the impression the poor girl hadn't gotten much sleep.

Harry and Lupin both appeared exhausted, yet jovial as they laughed about having escaped from something quite large in Lupin's dressing room. They still wore their robes from the night before, but now the robes had been adorned with occasional scorch marks and Lupin was missing a sleeve. She didn't think she wanted to know what they had been doing.

"Professor, don't you think it would be easier to just buy a bed?" Hermione was asking McGonagall, her hair sticking up on one side.

"If you need a different sleeping arrangement, use your wand. You are here to learn more transmogrification, are you not?" McGonagall stated with a huff. Neither of them looked like they had a good night.

Ginny glanced up at Snape, and found him looking back at her from the corner of his eye. He did quite a lot of sidelong glances, but it didn't bother Ginny much. She found herself a bit self conscious about how much he looked at her, but she didn't mind his looks in the least. The duo strode up to the table and Snape pulled out a chair for her next to Hagrid. They seemed to be the only ones there who had a calm and pleasant night. Though she was still blushing inwardly about having left her lingerie in the lavatory.

"I think its ridiculous that we have to stay with the professors. Whose idea was that!" Draco scoffed, picking one of the twigs out of his once immaculate hair. Ginny rolled her eyes inwardly. Leave it to the most pampered Slytherin in the room to take issue with everything. "I'm sure the school could afford us our own rooms."

To Ginny's surprise it was Professor Lupin who replied. "Not all learning takes place in the classroom, Mr. Malfoy." He said, nudging Harry who was pulling at a barbed thorn that seemed to have lodged itself firmly in his cloak.

Harry's head snapped to attention. "Nah, there's loads you can learn by spending this much time with the professors! Blimey, if I hadn't have been in Professor Lupin's room last night, that would have left him alone when the bloody thorned singealex got out of its crate. Honestly, I don't know how they made it along without us." He nodded grinning at Lupin. Hermione gave a snort of disapproval as the boys high-fived. Ginny had to agree with the DADA boys, she was going to learn a lot more about potions when she was able to watch Snape so closely.

Ginny put small portions of the breakfast on her plate, glad to have a bite to eat. They ate together in relatively solemn silence, and Ginny found herself remarkably comfortable in silence with him. They listened to the others at the table bickering, and occasionally exchanged glances of amusement. They said nothing, but a silent conversation took place regardless.

Snape nudged a finger towards the spinach quiche. She had never liked the pale yellow dish with its lumps of green before, but at his hinting she put a small portion of her plate. She took a small bite and unintentionally made a face of distaste. He noticed. Snape proceeded to produce a small vial of what looked to be salt with black flecks in it, and sprinkled the unknown substance on her quiche. He tipped his hand towards it as if to say "Try it now."

She scooped up a small bite and tasted the dish once again. Somehow it had completely changed! She didn't recognize the flavor he had added, but it was delightful! She rapidly devoured the remains of her small serving and found herself adding a bit more quiche to her plate. With the barest twinge of a smile he sprinkled more of the powder on her food.

"What is that?" She found herself asking him quietly, almost worried her voice was going to be drown out by Hagrid proclaiming that his hodags were perfectly charming if one knew how to treat them right.

"Black truffle salt. Changes the flavor of almost anything you add it to." He said, just loud enough for her to hear. The vial vanished back into the folds of his cloak and she finished her breakfast with an impressed nod of approval. She had a feeling that powder was going to be quite addictive. He looked down at her empty plate. Hagrid was becoming louder next to her, and an irritated Snape looked like he wanted to speak.

Finally he leaned close to her ear so that he could speak without shouting over the half-giant. His breath tickled her ear as he whispered in a silky tone "Would you care to join me in the forbidden forest? I have some... things... I need to do there." The way he intoned his words sent a delightful shiver down her spine, and she nodded. She moved to stand, and saw his outstretched hand waiting to help her up. He had that twinge of a smile again that made his actions feel suave and gentlemanly.

They excused themselves from the tired group of adults, and she found herself struggling slightly to keep up with his long strides. Soon they were at the edge of the forest. "What are we here for exactly?" She asked, looking up at the towering trees.

"I require more mugwort. The forest has a fine supply, and I often find ingredients I hadn't been looking for." He said halting for a moment at the edge of the trees, starring up at the clawing branches that looked as though they were trying to tear down the sky. They stepped into the dark forest, and Ginny watched as the light of day vanished behind them.

* * *

A/N: Hopefully I'll have more time to dive into each unique pairing! Remember, this is an AU, so some historical points will be different. Some characters may have lived, while others may not have. I'll get further into that when it comes up.

PiffyEQ: Thank you! I love awkward Severus! Severus wasn't actually required to provide his own room. He could have had her stay in the four-poster, and that was where he had planned on Draco staying. (Though he cleaned out his own room just in case. He's been so anxious about this!) I'm sure he does have his own lab as well. But some potions require attendance every few hours, sometimes for days or weeks on end. I believe he would become frustrated, and find it easier to do it in his own room. Not to mention, it would be rather a boring story if the pair in question were never forced to interact with each other. This is a romance story after all haha Perhaps the close proximity will spark more than just friendship between the two! We are after all talking about a school that regularly puts children in situations of extreme peril with little to no explanation as to why.


	6. Ch 6 - The Forest

\- Day 1 -

Severus strode through the dark forest, occasionally holding a branch out of the gingers way or directing that they should take a turn. Into the heart of the forest they wandered. It may have seemed a bit to his companion that he was walking at random, but he had been in this forest enough to know a handful of its secrets.

After nearly an hour of silent walking they were nearly there. He turned back to the young woman. "Close your eyes." She looked concerned, but did as she was told. He took gently by the elbow and guided her forward into a clearing he had found many years ago. He moved to stand behind her so as not to interrupt her view, and whispered into her ear in a smooth voice "Open." Her eyes fluttered open and her jaw dropped.

They were standing in a luminous green field near a small babbling brook. Every blade of grass seemed to glow with its own inner light. In truth it was a field of skradaweed, a type of grass that grew an iridescent fungus. The grass its self naturally smelled of honeysuckle and eucalyptus. Tall stems of bluebells rose from the grass, turning it into a picturesque view. In the center of the slightly inclined ground a thick tree stood, slightly more stout than the trees that surrounded the clearing.

"What... What is this place?" She asked turning in slow circles in the grassy clearing, her breath gone from her lungs. Severus chuckled inwardly, but did his best to keep his features solemn. It wouldn't do for her to see him getting emotionally stirred would it. But he had to make up for the comment about her night attire, and this seemed the best way. It was either this or buy her new night cloths, and that seemed rather a personal gesture.

"This is where I retrieve mugwort." He drawled, keeling next to the thick tree and clipping some of the pale green plant that grew at its base. There were many places to find mugwort, and many of them closer to the castle... but the expression on her face told him this was the right call.

"Severus, this place is beautiful! I've never seen anything like this in all my life!" She said in an elated tone, staring up at the reflecting green glowing off of the bottom of the leaves. She reached out to touch the luminous grass and hesitated. "Is it... safe?" She asked, worry in her eyes.

"Quite." He stated, plucking a bluebell and handing it to her. she cradled it in her hands and finally tucked the stem of flowers behind her ear. He couldn't explain, but he liked it when this beautiful young lady called him by his first name.

"This grass smells beautiful! What is it?" She asked, carefully running her hand through the tall grass.

"Its skradaweed. Used most often for odor removal. It exterminates odors present and replaces them with what you smell now." He enjoyed watching her glowing smile as she stroked the soft grass. He should be sure to bring some back for Filch. Filch always seemed to appreciate when he added it to his cleaning potions.

"Do you suppose... do you suppose it could be added to a bath?" She asked, looking up at him with eyes that shimmered nearly green for a moment in the light of the grass. It was hard not to take it as a sign from an angel.

"I don't see why not. So long as you don't add any dagg root. That could turn it quite... corrosive. Otherwise I imagine it would be quite aromatic." He stared at her for a long moment, unsure of what she was getting at. Suddenly he recalled the rather large bathtub he often neglected to use. He was more of a shower person. Rather than answering he produced a length of twine and a blade from his cloak. Swiftly he bundled some of the grass and cut it. If the red head desired a skradaweed bath, then that was exactly what she would have.

"Thank you Severus." She said softly, glancing away and tucking her hair behind her ear. He decided he liked it when she smiled.

"After we return we'll go through your daily duties. Then organize a base schedule." He said, twisting some of the grass in his fingers. Turning the grass into a bath was quite ingenious.

Ginny's eyes snapped towards him. "A schedule?... My duties?" Smiles are lovely, but this look of abject horror was deliciously priceless.


	7. Ch 7 - Panic

\- Day 2 -

Ginny panted heavily, sweat pouring from her skin. Severus breathing hard next to her. She couldn't believe what she had gotten herself into as her heart fluttered with exertion. Her legs quivered as she bit her lip. "Severus, I'm not so sure this was a good idea." She said through labored breathing.

"Nonsense." His typically lofty tone now nearly as out of breath as her own. A smile danced about his lips and as his eyes connected with hers she could see mischief and excitement dancing within them in equal measure. "You simply need to relax." Her back was against a cold stone wall, and she could feel how remarkably strong he was by the way his powerful hand closed around her arm. He was not hurting her in any way, but she could tell more was hiding under that cloak than met the naked eye.

Ginny could feel a leg sliding tentatively up the outside of her calf and she turned away, biting her lip nervously. "Maybe... maybe I'm not ready for this." She said softly to herself, but due to his proximity he could hear her clearly.

"Don't say such things, you're doing perfectly fine." He murmured, trying to catch his breath. "It's almost over." She found herself remarkably aware of his thumb stroking her arm lightly in comfort. A second thing began moving up her leg, this time on the inside of her thigh. It was a light fidgeting pressure, but she refused to look down at it. She could feel what she knew to be a hairy leg sliding up her calf. "Look at me. You're alright." She locked eyes with the potions master. This was going to turn out fine. It had to. She was with Severus after all.

His eyes shone with a light she had not seen before that felt like it was going to melt her heart away. She allowed herself to relax, focusing her full attention on him. She tried not to gasp as a third and fourth hair covered leg reached up tentatively towards her. Of all things for Severus to have, why did a spider the size of a cat have to be one of them?

Until yesterday it had never crossed her mind where the potions master got his ingredients from, but evidently he procured almost all of them himself. They had just been chased for nearly an hour by a furious redback spider that had not been thoroughly sedated prior to getting its venom harvested. Snape evidently kept the arachnid as a pet in the heart of the dungeon. He had dozens of creepy crawlies in a variety of different cages in this hidden room.

Severus had explained that he kept the room secret to avoid curios and idiotic students from trying their luck with his pets. His explanation had been "It is Hagrid's responsibility to teach the students how to interact with magical creatures, it is my responsibility to teach them how to use what those creatures produce." Shortly after that he had given a mouse a sleeping drought and fed it to the redback. He explained that the beast had to be nearly unconscious to be safely milked, but not fully. If it was fully sedated then it would not produce venom properly, but if it was too conscious it would immediately become dangerous. As was clearly evident by their current situation.

They had realized only after removing the arachnid from its tank that it had eaten only half of the mouse and had not ingested enough of the drought to knock it out. As soon as the spider was out of its tank, it wriggled out of Ginny's grasp and proceeded to chase them about the room. It had finally worn them, and luckily its self, out. Severus had explained the best course of action now was to demonstrate that they were not a threat by remaining calm and allowing it to inspect them.

After a few tense moments of being felt up by a giant arachnid Severus was able to toss a second spiked mouse to the creature and it devoured it heartily, believing it had received a second feeding for the day. The sleeping drought finally did its duty and Ginny watched as he scooped up the slumbering spider and put it back in its tank. The wry smile that threatened to overtake his face had her convinced that the encounter had been entirely unintentional.

They were in a large winging room with row after row of cages, creatures of all types held within. He was raising everything from mice and cockroaches to the giant redback spider. A huge vat of murky pond water stood on one wall, and she could see hundreds of newts slithering between each other through the water. A single raven lived without a cage and cackled from its a perch over a tank of horned slugs.

One of her new responsibilities was going to be assisting in the care and feeding of his collection of creatures. Not to mention harvesting potion ingredients. The lid for the redback clicked shut and Ginny couldn't help herself. "Why don't you just BUY potion ingredients?" She asked, still shaking from the encounter with the spider. This seemed like an excessive amount of work for a small amount of venom.

Snape chuckled softly. "Do you have any idea how expensive it would be to pay for a years supply of potion ingredients for fourteen classes of students per year? Not to mention when seventh years need unicorn horn or dragon hair. The school would never be able to afford it. This venom sells for nearly twenty galleons a pint, I couldn't possibly purchase it. At that point it becomes only logical to sell the ingredients I can easily procure myself, and use the profits to purchase those I cannot."

Ginny furrowed her brow. She didn't consider her start to the day to be "easy". It wasn't even lunch and she was drenched in sweat. They had already fed most of the creatures in the room, but they still had an entire row of cages to go. The raven laughed at her and she wished she could throw something at it. "Why doesn't that bloody bird have a cage?" She asked, shooting the bird a scowl.

"Mortimer? I've had him since he was a hatchling. I could never cage him. He's quite clever and is even of occasional assistance. Not to mention, raven feathers are key for the bubblejuice potion the third years do. If he doesn't fly, his feathers won't grow in properly." Ginny had a sneaking suspicion he was simply finding excuses as the raven cackled at her again.

Severus put his arm out and the raven flew to him immidiately. "He simply needs to get to know you, that's all. That's the only reason Dianna was so upset this morning." He said stroking the ravens beak. He scratched the feathers on the back of Mortimer's head as Ginny gawked at him.

"Dianna? Who in the blazes is Dianna?" She asked, brushing redback spider hairs off of her trousers. Severus glanced over at her with a smug smirk.

"Dianna is the redback you were just playing with. Don't forget to collect those hairs. I need them for the fifth years scarletitis remedy. Its rather convenient that Dianna sheds so many when she's agitated." He allowed the raven to hop up his arm where it perched happily on his shoulder. He plucked a snail out of one of the tanks and fed it to the chipper bird.

Ginny wasn't sure if it was adorable or disturbing that he had such a fond connection with all of his animals. Severus was such a standoffish and aloof individual, and it seemed so out of place for him to be playing with a bird and naming a spider. He had told her before bringing her into the chamber that everything within must be held with utmost secrecy, but now she could see why. It would ruin his tough mysterious image for him to be caught allowing an affectionate raven to nuzzle his head. He cared deeply for these creatures and she could see so much tenderness in his movements.

Soon they had finished caring for his managery and went back to his quarters to clean up before lunch.

* * *

Allowing Dianna to become so agitated was likely not necessary, but the panic that ensued was hilarious. Of course he was stuck fleeing from the furious spider with her, but watching her tremble as the redback spider inspected her was priceless. Dianna was young, so her venom would be relatively harmless. It would cause a rash and possibly some itching, but nothing fatal. So long as Dianna was never permitted to eat the horned slugs, she would remain non-lethal. For an unknown reason, horned slugs altered the toxicity of the spiders venom.

Typically caring for his ingredient providers took little time, and once Ginny became accustomed to assisting him it would take even less time. The school year was going to begin soon and he had several errands to run in order to collect more potion ingredients. The only question was which ones to get first...

* * *

A/N: I feel like everyone had now gotten a nice and solid intro haha I've been posting every day, but I'll probably slow my posts to once every few days or once a week. I don't get much feedback on midweek posts. Not to mention that gives me time to organize the next few chapters! I have a number of them written, but I'm not sure exactly what I want to happen and when. I love all of you dearly, and I hope you are falling as in love with this story as I am!

Reviews are the lifeblood of the author.


	8. Ch 8 - History 101

{{ A/N: WARNING - This is an AU, some common historical facts have been altered in the making of this fanfic. }}

\- Day 4 -

Mirum Coles rubbed her temples as the ghost prattled on endlessly in his monotone voice. She truly loved magical history, but he had been talking so much for so long that it was giving her a migraine. He had never been this excitable in class, but she had a feeling this was only the beginning. He had been chattering nonstop for the entire night. She was exceptionally interested in what he had to say, but she was becoming gradually less interested as the pains of exhaustion made themselves more evident. Just when she was beginning to wonder if she could handle being Professor Binns apprentice at all, silence fell on the room.

Mirum froze. She looked slowly up at the ghost who hovered only a few feet from her. His head had slumped down to his chest and she realized with a pang of amusement that the old ghost had talked himself right to sleep. Immediately her headache began to lift, and she could finally take a long hard look at the space she would be sharing with the dead professor.

She was in a large round room with a fireplace on one side, and a table piled with papers paired with a tall backed chair. Professor Binns had informed her on her arrival that the tall backed chair was the one he had died in. Though he had also stated "I may have died, but that doesn't stop me from teaching one bit. Hasn't even slowed me down." The tall backed chair made her vaguely uneasy, and she refused to sit in it.

A reclining chair faced the fireplace, with an ancient coffee table at its feet. The only new thing in the room was the bed on the far wall that had been provided specifically for her, and everything else had a thick layer of dust. Professor Binns wasn't an unclean individual by nature, but his inability to have physical contact with the mortal world made things like chores quite impossible. The house elves would have gladly cleaned for him, but he was quite opposed to the use of "forced magical creature slave labor" as he so precisely put it.

Mirum had already begun tidying their shared space, and Professor Binns took quite a bit of interest in regaling her with stories whenever she moved an item of interest. Like when she dusted his silver platter, and he told her about finding it in a rummage sale in 1922. He had been told the platter had been owned by Queen Victoria herself, and Mirum was inclined to believe him. Professor Binns was deeply offended by incorrect statements, whether intentional or not. Curiously she tipped up the platter she had been thinking about, and sure enough the royal seal was stamped into the bottom.

Mirum went about the room, dusting as much as she could. As she dusted she came upon a copy of "Voldemort - The Man Who Died". It was a rather common book after the fall of Voldemort the year before she was born. Rumor was that one of Voldemort's followers turned on him and killed not only the dark lord himself, but also several death eaters. No one knew the full story, but one of the death eaters had been captured and started throwing up every name that had ever been associated with that evil man. That was only what she had gleaned from scanning through the morning paper though.

Turning the book over she was surprised that the spine of the book had not yet been broken, it may as well have come fresh from the press. Though when she thought about it, it made quite a bit of sense. How would a ghost read a book? Perhaps when the Professor awoke, she could offer to read to him. It occurred to her just how much CURRENT history the Professor could be missing out on! She would have to write an owl in to the paper and request a subscription.

She stared at the ghost for a long moment. It was heartbreaking how much history was happening every day that the poor man was missing out on simply by being dead. Mirum jumped, what was she doing cleaning! She should be getting some sleep while the professor was unconscious! This was the most giddy she had ever been to sleep, but more than that she was excited to speak to the professor in the morning about her ideas for "History Today"... Alright, that wasn't what she was going to call it. She needed sleep badly.

* * *

A/N: I'll continue to explore this new history as we go!


	9. Ch 9 - Flight Training

\- Day 7 -

4:30am

"Rise and shine snowflake! Your broom isn't going to fly itself!" Madam Hooch shouted banging a heavy birch mixing spoon on the bottom of her favorite copper sauce pan. She had broken the bamboo corner spoon on the third day. Draco groaned. He felt like he had been trampled by a rhinoceros.

"Madam Hooch... why?" He asked pathetically, rubbing his eyes in the bright light. The sun was yet to rise, so Madam Hooch had taken it upon herself to simulate daylight with an "Eternal Lumos" lantern she had gotten from a fifth year. He knew this, because he had told her so. He couldn't be PAID enough to give a flying owl feather about her gifts from children. But now he knew anyway.

"The early hawk catches the rabbit my boy." She said with a smile that would have Cornish Pixie jealous. One positive point of progress was that he had gotten her to awaken him after she was ready for the day. Prior to, she awakened him at 4am sharp. Once he had graduated Hogwarts he had permitted his mother to wake him no earlier than noon. He had been working on getting a job... in his own way. Sort of. He just hadn't found the right one yet.

"... why would I want a rabbit?" He asked, still blinking against the bright light. Her analogies made little sense to him. Especially in what he considered to be the middle of the night.

"Protein my boy!" She shouted, a finger of emphasis in the air as she spun on her heels. Seven years of school and her eyes still made him uncomfortable. He flopped to an upright position, at this point he knew better than to fall back asleep. She was still being playful, she would get serious if he fell back asleep.

Hot coffee, blacker than pitch, sat on the corner of his end table. Typically he preferred a dragonwell green tea with a dollop of cream and served at exactly 95C. On extra special days he added honey. The first few days he had passed on the coffee as the pungent flavor decimated his refined taste buds... but now he found himself downing the vile substance as soon as it was cool enough not to scorch his throat.

Coffee down and consciousness achieved, it was time for his cold shower. Madam Hooch disabled the hot water until after they had finished their morning flights. Problem was, by that point all he wanted was a cold shower. He found himself dearly missing the days of four hour hot baths back at his mansion.

He knew he could give up and go back home any time he wanted... but he would never be able to face his mother if he gave up on something as simple as "Flight Instructor in Training". Especially not if he gave up before any students arrived. One perk was after morning flights and broom maintenance she gave him about two hours for lunch before they got back to practice. It was more practicing for practice, as he was only preparing to learn how to teach others... to prepare. It made more sense when she explained it.

Draco turned on the cold water and forced himself not to abandon the practice of bathing. He was a Flight Instructor in Training, not a barbarian.


	10. Ch 10 - Snape's Book - Part 1

\- Day 17 -

Part 1

It had now been over two weeks since Severus found himself cohabiting with the redhead. Presently it was August 30th, and tomorrow the students began their first day of class. He had taught countless years at this school, so many in fact that they rather blended together in the end. This year felt different though. This year he was tingling with anticipation. He couldn't fathom why this year would be any different. He would teach, as he always did. He would care for his secret cavern of creatures, as he always did. He would watch out for idiotic students making terrible decisions, as he did every year... So what was so different?

Other than the incredibly attractive woman who would be living with him for the next few years of course. Who, as a part of Master Apprentice protocol, would remain as close to him as feasibly possible for the next two years. She would assist in the education of the students. She would assist in the care of the creatures and the procuration of potion ingredients... meaning that he would be taking her to the deepest most dangerous parts of the forbidden forest, the lake or beyond. She would become his constant companion in becoming the guiding light of the next generation of wizards.

The strangest part was how she didn't seem to be put off by his cold demeanor. He found his icy glances, which most humans would cringe from... left this strange creature turning the most fabulous shades of sunset red. He was not sure what the difference was. She had been treating him differently since he had offered his first name to her. He had been unable to bring himself to call her "Ginny". It was such a feeble name. Her full name was Ginevra, a lovely and full bodied name. It fit her well. He supposed he could call her that. But that had not been the name offered to him, and thus it seemed inappropriate to call her such.

It was as though she had broken through the frosty layer of distance he kept between himself and others ever since... ever since he lost Lily. Lily had been the first and only person to break through his cold demeanor and see him for who he truly was. Not even Dumbledore had seen through his cold façade the same way. Though Dumbledore had trusted him despite the suspicion of others, and at times even facing ridicule. That was why he had put so much trust in that great man. It was impossible for others to warm up to him when he held them all at a distance, but it was hard for him to get close to anyone when all of them held him at a distance.

He knew it was a cycle, and until now he had accepted his part in perpetuating it. She had broken from the cycle though, and now that she had broken through he couldn't push her back to the other side of his inner wall. Even so, he didn't want to. It was all so strange. She was beginning to smirk at his subtle jokes that until now everyone else thought was simply him being rude.

For example, that morning at breakfast when Hagrid and Charlie had arrived covered in mud and slime Severus had muttered "I wasn't aware we were growing hobgoblin tubers for the students now days." He had either been ignored or granted a cold glare from everyone in the room. Ginevra on the other hand had snickered into her coffee and attempted to cover it by feigning failure to swallow correctly. She coughed lightly and reddened as the eyes of the room fell on her, but the slight glance of approval from him seemed to have set her at ease.

It was as though for the first time in decades someone could actually see him. She made him feel young again, like the childhood sense of having a secret with a friend that no one else knew. He wanted to use the world of potions to dazzle her in the way it had dazzled him. He wanted her to see everything around her could either come out of or be put into a bottle. Knowing potions so well had certainly done him substantial good.

Several years ago he had stumbled onto a recipe for the Lazarus potion. It didn't exactly restart the clock, but it made the body look and feel substantially younger. He had used it to stave off arthritis and keep up with the rigors of general life after he had received that nasty bite from Hagrid's dog Fluffy. Fluffy wasn't a bad three-headed dog per se, but that head on the left had a nasty attitude and poor training. Hagrid went far to easy on it.

His thoughts were cut short as the subject of his meditation returned from the storeroom. "I take it the dried beetles were more difficult to locate than I had anticipated?" He asked, for she had been gone for quite a long time.

"No, I found them easily enough." Her voice sounded distracted, and he turned to see why. It became rapidly evident. "Severus, what's this?" She was staring at an ancient book, filled with hundreds of hand written pages of notes. His face flushed. Oh bollox.


	11. Ch 11 - Snape's Book - Part 2

\- Day 17 -

Part 2

"You've been working on this for how long?" Ginevra exclaimed, simply aghast at the tattered old book in her hands staring at it as though it were the most priceless treasure in the world. She turned it reverently as though it would crumble if she squoze it too tightly. Though, he wasn't entirely sure it wouldn't.

"I'm not entirely sure. I suppose I began writing it in my own school days. Whenever I came upon a flawed potion, I would write it out with improvements included. I've put them in order of most simple to most difficult. Once upon a time I had been intending to publish my own potions book that could have been used here at Hogwarts." Snape said, eyeing the relic of his past. "The aspirations of a child I dare say." He sniffed, disregarding the book and attempting to return to his project at hand. He had given up on that dream long ago.

Ginevra riffled through the loose pages. "Severus, these are incredible! With a little bit of work, this would be the perfect potions book!" Severus shuddered at her words. No matter how he tried, it had just felt like something was missing. "Some of these techniques are absolutely phenomenal. Severus... You're a genius." Severus could feel his face reddening from her compliments. Maybe it would be worth it to take a second look at that dusty old thing.

Severus turned his chair to face her while she sat down on the edge of his bed. That was becoming her preferred location to reside while he worked on potions in his room. He had his own potions lab, but it was such a hassle. For extremely important, time consuming or experimental potions this was much easier. Severus gave the young lady his full attention and she reddened slightly.

Together they flipped through the many pages, and Severus grimaced at his sloppy handwriting. Ginevra interrupted his self-judgment. "Severus... what if I used this book?" She asked. Used it for what? To prop up a short table leg? He raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "What if I followed all of your instructions and made the potions in this book. Then we would know how well this book would work to teach the students. You could help me every step of the way!" She said, growing excited. They would need to have another table and cauldron moved into his room... but it was quite a passable option.

"If you must." He stated in a dull tone. He was quite flattered that she would take such an interest in his creation, even if it was an old discarded project. Severus eyed her as she flipped to the cover and saw his swirling signature, written only as "The Half-Blood Prince". Severus readied himself to deflect her questions. But none ever came. She stared at it for a long while, traced it with her finger, then turned to the page on draught of living death and began reading.


	12. Ch 12 - First Day Of School

\- Day 18 -

Ginny stared deeply into her reflection on the lavatory mirror. Today was the big day. Today the students arrived. She was practically trembling with excitement. She had started school many times at Hogwarts, but for the first time ever she would be on the other side of the desk. She wondered if briefly her brother felt the same way. She finally went back into the main room and looked again at the class schedule Severus had put on the wall for her.

More often than not Gryffindors and Slytherins were paired together, and Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were paired. She looked over at Severus who was adjusting his robes and double checking the ever-glow potion they were currently working on. It was supposed to make the user glow vibrant orange. She couldn't see much use in it, but she could only imagine how much fun the twins would have with this recipe. If they had gotten to it, half the school would have been orange by mid-morning. It wasn't a difficult potion and she hoped they would be able to teach it to the second years.

Severus tugged at his tie, but for some reason it wouldn't lay straight. Ginny interrupted his fidgeting and gently straightened it for him. Apparently she was not the only one nervous about today. Her hands were shaking badly. For a brief moment Severus took her hand in his own. "I'll be there." He said soothingly, and she knew what he meant. He was trying to tell her that no matter what happened today, he would be by her side. It was exactly what she needed to hear. She gave him a broad smile and turned on her heel with a flourish. She could do this.

* * *

The potions master swept into the room like a hawk moving in for the kill. Close on his heels was the flowing red hair of his assistant. The hushed chatter of the classroom died away into silence as the two made their way to the front of the classroom. "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper death." Severus drawled his typical introduction to the nervous batch of first years. His eyes stroked the room, searching for the weak links.

In the second row he spotted a blond haired, blue eyed female. Even at eleven she was wearing heavy makeup and glancing around, scouting the room for boys of interest. He would likely make an example of her if he didn't come to attention soon. In the first row was a dirty blond haired boy with a red nose, there may be some allergens to identify later and move out of the classroom. His eyes continued roving until he found exactly what he was looking for. The chatterboxes.

A trio of boys sat in the back of the classroom, already passing notes before he had even had a chance to get their names. They would be his first targets. The clear leader had black hair and an air of confidence about him. It's always the ones with messy black hair that are the most difficult. The sunset red haired one seemed meek, and looked as though he were trying to focus on the lesson despite his friends. The third had silver grey hair, and Severus wondered if there was a branch of the Malfoy family he didn't know about. Though, this pale skinned child didn't act like a Malfoy. He was outgoing and warm, the other children around him all seemed to want to befriend him. Not a Malfoy at all. Of course, all three were from Gryffindor. Severus rolled his eyes and sighed.

Slithering up behind the boys after he had passed the lesson off to Ginevra, he hovered behind the trio. He listened for a moment before interrupting their conversation. They were chatting about the train mostly, in wonder of all the exciting things at Hogwarts. "And that teacher is hot!" The black haired boy whispered, indicating his thumb toward Ginevra. That was enough.

"I don't suppose you're referring to ME." Severus growled, making his presence known to the boys. They all jumped and the redhead yelped loud enough for the rest of the class to turn in surprise. "I don't suppose you would know how to brew a drought of peace?" He asked, leaning in close and looking at each one in turn. They paled and the red haired child looked as though he was going to be sick. "I thought not. Then how about you dunderheads leave the talking to Miss Weasley and I whilst you are in this classroom." They nodded, clearly shaken. These three would make his year quite interesting.

When he rose back up to his full height, he looked at Ginevra who had stopped speaking when he had addressed the children. He waved a hand for her to continue and she dove back into the introduction they had prepared. Severus swept about the room, the students now jerking away from him when he got too near. That was more what he expected from a room full of first years.

* * *

A/N: Thank you everyone for the favorites and follows!

017: Thank you very much!

Nice comments make me write faster haha


	13. Ch 13 - Toothless Thunder Frogs

-Day 28-

Part 1

Charlie felt as though he were going to hurl. He had spent years working with dragons, but presently he was waist deep in a bog that smelled remarkably like a thousand backed up toilets had been poured into an overgrown lake and spiced up with a stink bomb for good measure. It was days like this that made him miss the easy days of wrestling with romanian longhorns. Blimey, He'd take a weekend with a hungarian horntail over this mess!

"Hagrid, why'r we even here?" Charlie asked, trying not to let his exasperation into his question. The morning's explanation had consisted of Hagrid handing him a set of waders, a bag of fishmeal and a net.

"Wot? Fer the toothless thunderfrogs o' course! Why its the only thing I been able te get the shiner crabs to eat!" Hagrid said, clapping him on the back. Charlie heaved a sigh. They weren't even allowed to let the students near the shiner crabs. He trudged deeper into the murk. "Wocher step there me boy." Hagrid said, holding out one of his giant hands. But he was a moment too late.

"Aaaagh!" Charlie slipped into an unseen dip in the ground several feet below the surface of the murk. The top of his waders dipped below the surface of the slime and a torrent of stinking muck poured down the side of his body, pooling in his right boot. He didn't mind the creatures, actually he quite liked them. He didn't mind the uncomfortable conditions in the least. What he minded was the stench. He knew he could handle a lot of things, but horrid odors were quick to turn his stomach against him.

"Carful there Charlie, get anymore o' that mud on ya and y'll have a hard time getting it off before yer sis comes over." Hagrid said, helping him out of the pit and back to higher ground. Charlie's ears perked up, Ginny was coming over? Since when?

"What's that? Why's Ginny comin' to visit us?" Charlie asked, pouring some of the fishmeal onto the top of the murk. The toothless thunderfrogs were supposed to come to the surface of the water where they could easily be scooped up and put into the nets. The one issue with that was that there had to be toothless thunderfrogs nearby to smell the fishmeal.

"Din't I tell ya? Snape comes fer a visit on the second saturday o' erry month. Been doin' it fer ages I dare say. Couldn't last month, wot with you and yer sis comin' 'n all!" Hagrid chuckled and plucked a thunderfrog out of the murk. How did he know it was there? Charlie still couldn't see anything. "Ya watch for the bubbles they make when they're comin' up fer air." Hagrid said pointing at some tiny bubbles just before he plucked up another thunderfrog.

Charlie started watching carefully for tiny bubbles. "Nah, ya didn't tell me nuthin. Why does Snape come over every month? Is it some kinda exchange? You give him your spare bat wings, and he gives you more flesheating slug repellent?" Charlie asked, finally seeing some bubbles and snagging his first thunderfrog. He stared at the frogs squashed face for a minute. Maybe this wouldn't be all that bad. He still hated the smell, but he was really starting to enjoy the critters.

"Aye, its that as well I suppose. Mostly he just comes for drinks." Hagrid said, shoving a few more toothless thunderfrogs in his bag. Charlie was surprised. The local over-grown bat didn't seem much like the kind for drinking.

"Hagrid, why're they called thunder-" Charlie was cut short by a massive electrical current that surged through his body. "Ah. Never-mind." He mumbled, chucking the bloody frog into his bag. Maybe these weren't the right kind of critters to hold any longer than necessary. His sister coming for drinks would certainly give him something to look forward to though!

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the late update! I was off camping in the mountain wilderness and only returned to civilization a few hours ago. I'll do my best to respond to comments next time if I got any. I haven't checked yet haha


	14. Ch 14 - Preperations

\- Day 28 -

Part 2

Ginny was shocked. She had no idea that Severus and Hagrid were more than passing acquaintances. Not to mention actual FRIENDS. She had found out only hours before that they were going to be visiting Hagrid and her brother Charlie for the evening. Shuffling through her wardrobe she finally settled on a green sun dress with a pair of simplistic black heels. She knew Gryffindors were supposed to be enthralled with red and gold, but red washed out her complexion horribly and made her hair look carrot orange rather than brilliant copper. Gold was lovely, but with the wrong fabric it ended up looking flat greenish orange.

She would never admit it to any Slytherin, but she adored the way she looked in green and silver. The green made her hair look radiant, and didn't clash with her naturally orange-ish skin. The dress she had chosen was a deep emerald that accentuated her bust and flared out at her waist like a sundress. It had a rounded neckline, short sleeves, and lace at the fringe just above her knees. It was one of her favorite dresses, and she typically saved it for special occasions. Drinks with her brother and Hagrid wasn't exactly the "special" she had been hoping for, but she had a feeling she wasn't going to be having many evenings to dress up. May as well make the best of it.

There were actually rather few beauty products on the market for gingers. The foundation was either tan or pink, and her skin was neither of those. Not to mention the fact that if she wore too little foundation her freckles looked like grey blotches, but if she wore too much her whole face looked washed out. Eye shadow was fun, but once again all "natural" colors looked brown on her frustrating skin tone and all un-natural colors looked either too drastic or simply clashed. The only thing she could count on was black eyeliner, sapphire infused black mascara with strawberry colored lip-stain.

There were a number of shades of lip coloring that looked spectacular on her. Strawberry, coral, cherry, copper, scarlet, mahogany and even maroon! The one thing they all had in common was being varying shades of orange and red. It wasn't much of a choice, but it made her put quite a bit of thought into which color and type of product she wore. Blonds had life so easy. She sighed as she carefully traced her own lips with the stain. They could repaint their whole face if they wanted, and she could hardly cover a single blemish without looking blotchy.

It only took her about half an hour to get fully preened, and when she looked in the full length mirror she couldn't help but to give a twirl of glee. It was so much fun to wear something other than her Hogwarts robes! Slipping on her snub-nosed heels, she nearly skipped to the door of her room, pausing before she opened it. What would Severus think? Would he mock her for being ridiculous and frivolous? Was she supposed to have stayed in her robes? She probably had time to change if she needed to. Ginny gave her head a shake. No, she would proudly wear what she wanted. There was no dress code for the assistants, and technically she could wear whatever she wanted. With a stern nod of encouragement to herself, she opened the door.

* * *

Severus stood at the potion table, slowly stirring a drought of living death. They had added ladybug wings this time to see if it improved the blue-green color. He had been ready to leave his quarters for some time now, but Ginevra had yet to leave her room. At this rate he would be late to Hagrid's hut. It didn't particularly matter, but he didn't like being late. He had a large bottle of flesh-eating slug repellent that he knew the half-giant would be glad to receive.

When he was nearly prepared to knock on the young woman's door to check if she had _died_ or not, the door creaked open. Out of the room stepped a creature that was hardly recognizable as his faithful assistant. Her typically straight hair was pulled up into a half up-do that left it pulled out of her face, but still tumbling over her shoulders in waves. A lone lock of hair gracefully hung in a playful curl around her right cheek. Her eyes were sharp and defined, with a spark in them he had never noticed before. He could see the fire in her soul, clawing to get out. Brilliant red enhanced her lips, making them look full and soft.

The dress she wore perfectly outlined her hourglass figure, but left enough to the imagination to keep it a curious mystery. Her legs that were typically wrapped in folds of black were long and shapely, the edge of her dress teasing around her knees. This was the sort of woman that would easily cause a man to leap to one knee before her. Severus was glad for the concealment that his long thick robes provided, and he extended a hand to escort her. He was not one for social endeavors, but he may put thought into planning more of them in the future.

"I-is this all right? Was I supposed to wear my robes?" Ginevra asked tentatively, taking his hand gingerly. She had painted her petite nails to match her dress. She looked like something from a dream. He longed to wax poetic about her beauty, to pour his soul out before her. She looked more than beautiful. Words could not define her picturesque loveliness.

"You look fine." He stated curtly, giving her a cold raised eyebrow. He felt betrayed by his own tongue and body, but it was likely for the best. She was not only many years his junior, but also his assistant. With a glum rush of self-defeat he recalled the wretched fate the mirror reminded him of daily. He was not an attractive man. His nose was too large, his eyes to cold. Even with his lazarus potion, his skin had begun to show signs of aging. It was best not to even think about his unfortunate hair. She was an angel born of a dream, and he was the monster that lurked in the nightmares of children. He didn't deserve to stand in the same room as her, let alone hold her on his arm.


	15. Ch 15 - Bottoms Up

\- Day 28 -

Part 3

Ginny tapped on the door of her brothers new residence and was privy to a loud thump followed by a string of obscenities from inside Hagrid's hut. From the cursing she gathered that her brother had moved too quickly when going to the door and had tripped over Hagrid's dog Fang. Ginny giggled to herself as her brother finally flung the door open, his hair frazzled and the clear beginnings of a red beard on his chin. He gave a blast of laughter and scooped her up into a bear hug. She gave a squeak as she felt her lungs collapse, but she was glad to see him too.

"Heyya sis! I thought being here at Hogwarts would give us more time together, but I haven't seen you since the ceremony!" Charlie said, pulling her back to get a good look at her. It was true, even though they lived in the same area she hadn't seen him in almost a month. "You look amazing!" He practically shouted in her ear. She could tell Hagrid was already wearing off on him, and school hadn't even started yet. She had to wonder... was she going to begin acting like Snape in the same way?

After greetings and the quick trade of slug repellent for cast off shiner crab shells, Hagrid was quick to pour three giant mugs of mead. As soon as they were seated with their mugs, Ginny looked over to see an empty handed Severus staring grimly at the wall. From a cabinet Hagrid pulled a bottle of amber liquid, and a small glass tumbler that looked like it was reserved for use only with the contents of the bottle. He poured several fingers worth of the liquid into the glass and carefully handed it carefully to Severus. Charlie and Ginny watched the ritual in confusion until Severus provided an answer to their unspoken questions.

"I'm not keen on the swill Hagrid prefers. This is Angel's Envy Bourbon. You are welcome to have some if you desire." He offered the glass to the two gingers, Charlie tried the amber liquid first.

"Bleh! It tastes like I'm drinking liquid fire! How can you stomach that stuff!" Charlie said, making a face of great distaste. Gingerly, Ginny tried the brew after him. It was exceptionally potent, but she didn't dislike it. Taking a bigger drink she savored the sensation of warm fire filling her mouth and pouring down her throat. She could certainly see why he was fond of it, as she felt the warm burning sensation trickle all the way through her body to her fingers and toes. It was delightful!

At first Ginny found herself tense and awkward, eased slightly by the eccentric behavior of her brother and Hagrid as they launched into stories of their recent adventures. Severus sat silently, an icy look casting glances about the room. Ginny couldn't even imagine what the conversation would look like if it were only Severus and Hagrid in the room.

* * *

"Then I grabbed -em by the tail and gave a great big yank! What I didn' realize was my boy Charlie here had already grabbed hold of his snout!" Hagrid continued his story, acting out the exciting encounter of catching a crockaperd that had gotten into a nearby swamp. Ginny had never seen or heard of a crockaperd, but it sounded quite a lot like an alligator with the legs of a jungle cat and, of course, the ability to breath fire.

"So here I was tryn' to keep them teeth at bay when the blighter is ripped right out'a my hands and goes about spray'n half the clearing with fire! Sure I've worked with dragons, but there ain't nuthin like an angry cockaperd!" Charlie continued Hagrid's story waving his arms in exaggerated motions. Ginny laughed until her sides hurt, but she had been laughing for most of the evening. What caught everyone off guard, was when Severus burst out with a laugh. Ginny turned to stare at her potions master, who presently had rosy cheeks and a broad smile.

Ginny had been watching as Hagrid had refilled Severus' cup throughout the evening, and with every fresh glass Severus was loosened up ever so slightly. Little by little the ice had been melting, and for the first time she began to see him smiling openly.

Hagrid gave a wry grin, and slapped the potions master on the back. "There we go Sevr'us! How's about you tell us a guddn!" Hagrid nearly bellowed. To Ginny's astonishment Severus began to talk, first slowly as he regained himself, then quite a bit more animatedly.

He retold the story about Ginny's encounter with the spider, and she blushed horribly. It had been incredibly uncomfortable the first time. But now it was being retold, and to her brother no less! Hagrid and Charlie had a hearty laugh at her expense, and she wished she could melt into her chair right then. But when she looked over at Severus, he wasn't looking down on her or mocking her. He was looking at her with something that could only be described as affection. She knew his expressions were too minute for Charlie or Hagrid to notice, but for a moment she was captivated by his black eyes.

"So, eh. Has Sev'rus told ya about how he defeated Voldemort?" Hagrid had a wicked grin as he spoke, and Ginny had a strong feeling that this story had been the reason Hagrid had kept refilling Severus' cup. Ginny froze.

"Did you just say YOU defeated Voldemort?" Ginny asked, staring blatantly at Severus. Severus gave another uncharacteristic laugh.

"Nice try Hagrid, but that's a story for another day. I believe Miss Weasley and I have a potion to check on. Are you quite ready to go?" Severus asked in a tilted tone, there was still a glow about his features. Ginny stared from Hagrid to Severus and back, her mouth hanging open. Severus rose, dusted his robes, and extended a hand to Ginny. "Shall we?" He asked. In her dumbfounded state, she followed him. She hugged Charlie and Hagrid as they said their goodbyes and promised to return next month. As soon as they were out of the hut she spun on her heel to face him.

"You defeated Voldemort?! What was he talking about? What-" Ginny would have kept going, but a finger was placed to her lips. Severus drew much closer to her than she was accustomed, and she stared up into his deep black eyes. Slowly he moved his face closer to hers, and just as her whole body was beginning to tingle as their lips just barely began to touch...

"That is a story for another day." He whispered softly, stroking the side of her cheek with tender fingertips. Then he swept into the dark, much more gracefully than most drunk people she knew. For a moment she was frozen in place, her lips tingling and her heart racing. Her hand rose to her mouth as she attempted to process what had just occurred between them. Was that a kiss? She wasn't entirely sure. "Will you be joining me Miss Weasley?" Severus called over his shoulder, and she scampered to keep up.


	16. Ch 16 - Sleep

\- Day 28 -

Part 4

Ginny nearly had to run to keep pace with Severus as he swept back into the castle and down the winding stairs, but even in his haste she could see him wobbling slightly. The potion master had clearly been overly-indulgent with his brew. Ginny's hand still found itself wandering back to her lips. Had they kissed? His lips had brushed hers so gently she wasn't entirely sure. He could have been swaying on his feet. Actually, she could have been swaying as well. Trying to keep up with the flurry of Severus' cloak was reminding her just how much mead she had just consumed at Hagrid's hut.

When they finally made it to the hallway that concealed their quarters, Ginny was having a difficult time staying upright. The room had begun to swim at some point in the stairwell, and Ginny was regretting the bourbon she had consumed along with the mead. As for Severus, he had to try several times to trace the serpent on the wall that revealed their door. Perhaps he had been in such a rush for the same reason she was currently relying on a wall for support.

At last he managed the magical lock and held the door open for her. Ginny stumbled into the poorly lit room, and promptly flopped onto the fourposter bed. She could clearly see the door to her own room, but from her perspective it seemed to be dancing a nauseating jig. Ginny rolled onto her back and draped her arm over her eyes, hoping that would ease the constant swimming of the room. It helped in a minute way, but how was she to get all the way to bed with the room swaying about erratically? She felt the mattress jump below her as something rather weighty dropped onto the empty space on her left.

Ginny rolled to face Severus, and her eyes blurred as they attempted to remember how vision functioned. She blinked and to her astonishment found Severus' nose mere inches from her own. Her instinct was to leap backwards, but she was concerned any swift movement would cause her stomach to turn against her. His beautiful eyes felt like dark vortex's pulling her in. She felt like there was something she was supposed to do, but the more deeply she looked into his dark sad eyes, the less she remembered what it was.

Severus brought a hand up and stroked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "You look absolutely resplendent, Ginevra." He whispered, tracing along her jawline as he pulled his hand away. Ginevra... no one ever called her by her full name. Not even her own mother. But when he said it, it sounded royal. As though she were a princess, and he a fawning knight. She longed to complete the kiss he had begun at Hagrid's hut. She closed her eyes and... fell soundly asleep.

* * *

The morning light trickling through the lake above her seemed much brighter than usual, and Ginny pulled the blankets up over her head in an attempt to block it out. She realized with a start that her blankets were the wrong color. Not to mention, both her pillow and mattress were much to soft to be the ones she was accustomed to. Suddenly wide awake, the events of the night before swam back into her memory. She had never actually made the journey back to her own bed. Would she pull down the covers to find her potions master in bed beside her?

As slowly as possible, Ginny lowered the blanket to her nose and looked around. The bed to her left was empty and neat. That begged the question though, where was Severus? Looking feverishly around the room, she saw nothing. Her hair was almost certainly a ridiculous red nest, and she didn't want to think of how her make-up was going to look after a night of drunken slumber. Also, she had definitely fallen asleep on top of the covers... so how had she ended up nestled deeply in the folds of Severus' warm blankets. She should be worrying, but Ginny found herself jealous. His bed was just so comfortable!

Just then the bathroom door creaked open, and Severus stepped into the room fully dressed with his hair still wet from a recent shower. Ginny groaned inwardly, she could have used that extra time to get to her own room and get cleaned up. She had missed her chance. She waited for Severus to make a rude comment about her present state. Her brothers would have loads of ammo with her raccoon eyes, and mane of orange. She was glad she had chosen the lip stain over the lipstick, at least she didn't have to worry about smearing strawberry red all over his pillows.

"I see you're awake. It seems that the ladybug wings have had the intended effect, and I've made note of it." Severus said, glancing in her direction. Ginny blinked. Ladybugs? It took her an embarrassingly long time to remember that was the most recent potions experiment. A sudden burst of elation cleared her mind of her current state and for a single second she was purely delighted that her recent idea had proven fruitful. She sat up with excitement, and her hair moved in a solid bobbing mass behind her. A wave of nausea hit her, as her drinks from last night threatened a reappearance. She looked down and found herself still wearing her green sundress, she must look quite a sight.

Still, Severus made no comment. He acted as though she was sitting upright in pressed robes taking notes. He sat at the potion desk and resumed their work from the night before. Ginny slipped out of the sheets and scurried barefoot to her own room to clean up, grabbing her shoes from the foot of the bed as she went. She hadn't taken her shoes off... she tried not to blush as she imagined Severus gently removing her high-heels for her and tucking her into his bed. That still begged the question though, where had he slept last night?

* * *

A/N: So this is close to the end of where I have chapters prepared. I have several chapters scattered through out the timeline, but I need to sort out some filler chapters so I'm not jumping TOO far ahead in the relationship too fast. In this present situaiton, Severus was exceptionally drunk. I haven't had time or energy to write new chapters, but I assure you that I have not forgotten.

Skrillrider: Huzzah! I'm so glad you found my new story! Your reviews always brighten my day! Let me know if you have any story ideas haha

Guest: Thanks! I know he can be a bit out of character sometimes, but its so hard to write a story about Severus without him seeming OOC. I'm hoping that by representing him externally as rough and bitter, but internally as wounded and sweet I can expand his character a bit.

Nice reviews make me write faster! (No, seriously. They pop up in my email and get me thinking more about my stories haha)


	17. Ch 17 - The Morning After

\- Day 29 -

Sunday wandered aimlessly by, and to Ginny's surprise Severus continued to say nothing about her sleeping in his bed. Together they worked on a potion, fed his pets and journeyed to the main hall for sustenance. She found the only change in his habit to be his lingering gaze whenever he believed her not to be looking. Ginny decided that if he would make no mention of recent events, neither would she. Her resolve lasted for only the better part of a single day. By the afternoon she couldn't bear the weight of her curiosity any more. As they worked on a potion together in the main room near his bed she finally broke the silence that had fallen between them.

"Severus?" She interrupted him, causing his hand to falter for a moment in his potion-making. His eyes flicked to the side and met her gaze in a way that sent shivers down her spine, but he said nothing. Ginny continued. "Do you remember what... happened... last night?" She asked, still unsure of how to phrase the question that had been burning in her mind.

"You and I went to Hagrid's for a ritualistic drink and conversation." He responded in a bland tone. His focus returned to the potion as though she had merely been double checking the date on the calendar. Ginny realized she would have to press harder if she wanted to know what he was thinking.

"Well... what happened after that?" She asked, hoping she would sound like she was simply to drunk to recall. She worried the hopeful note in her voice would betray her feelings for him.

"You and I returned to my quarters, rested and awoke the next morning. Would you like me to give you the rundown on the chores we have performed thus far today, or are you capable of remembering that much?" His tone conveyed boredom bordering on irritation, but his eyes glimmered with a hunger and passion that made her blush. Was that look of desire truly meant for her? Anything she had been planning to say died in her throat as his eyes burned into her soul with a blaze that made her tremble.

Yet his eyes flickered back to his potion as though nothing had occurred. Ginny gaped in the stunned silence that followed. He was rather committed to treating the situation as though it had never happened. Her cheeks reddened as her thoughts betrayed her and her mind wandered down a tantalizing avenue. What would it take to get him to return to that bed with her?

She instantly shook her head to clear her mind of such filthy thoughts, as her face flushed a near florescent shade. Severus looked up at her once again, "Are you quite alright, Miss Weasley?" he asked in a tone that was surprisingly close to gentile, in its own dry way. "You may lay down if you are feeling unwell." His hand gestured towards the bed that rested so close to the two of them. The butterflies in her stomach felt as though they were attempting to burst out of her, as Ginny vigorously shook her head. Entirely unable to speak. She knew what she wanted, but Severus seemed to be taking quite a lot enjoyment out of tormenting her. The slightest flicker of a wicked smile danced at the corner of his lips.

"I... I think I need a bit of air." She stammered, and fled the dungeon room that felt as though it had become an oven. Just outside the door she collapsed, her heart racing and face burning. What was going on? How could he make such a suggestion after last night. As her mind raced for answers, there was one thing she could not take her thoughts from. The look of pure hunger in his eyes that stole her breath away.

Perhaps he was toying with her. Feigning ignorance on everything that had transpired mere hours ago. The almost kiss, the night in bed together. It simply wasn't possible for him to be unaware of what she was talking about. Either he was trying to pretend it hadn't happened... or he was playing with her. Ginny knew Severus was the serious type, and certainly not in touch with his emotions. What would his version of playful even look like? She had two options. Join him in pretending last night never happened, or play his game.

With a wicked grin, Ginny decided what she was going to do. She was going to get Severus in touch with his emotions. The major question that remained was how... She could urge him to drink alcohol again, but she wasn't sure if that would be enough. Not to mention how wary he would be of alcohol she presented. She could wait until they returned to Hagrid's next month, but that seemed ages away and she needed something sooner. Potions or spells could go dangerously awry, but they weren't without their potential.

As a side note, another query also remained... Had Severus truly been the one to end Voldemort? There had been many rumors surrounding the evil mans death, many wizards attempted to take credit for his demise. Most assumed Dumbledore had succeeded in exterminating him and was simply too humble to take credit. Not to mention how uncomfortable parents would be knowing their children's headmaster was a murderer. Until recent events, that had been what Ginny herself believed. Her endless curiosity begged her to ask Severus for details, but with his reaction last night she simply had to pray that he would tell her in his own time.

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A/N: My beloved followers and readers! What do you think Ginny should do to get Severus in touch with his feelings? I look forward to hearing your delightful plots!


	18. Ch 18 - Feel Me Potions

\- Day 30 -

Ginny poured through her old potions book, doing her best to look like she was simply researching. She was searching for a potion to help Severus get in touch with his emotions, and possibly help her understand how he felt about her. His soul was like Pandora's box, and she couldn't help herself but try to open it.

The first potion she turned to was Amortentia, a love potion. But she had seen how terrible that potion had turned out in the past. There was always a kid in every year that thought a love potion was a grand idea. Love potions like that only created obsession, not love. Not to mention, she wanted him to open up about his true feelings, not fawn over her because of a potion. Amortentia was certainly off the list of options.

A Calming Draught seemed potential, but it wasn't really an active trauma that caused Severus' emotions to be welled up inside of him... A Draught of Peace seemed viable as it relieved anxiety, but alcohol could do the same thing without trying to brew a secret potion under his nose. Not to mention it had some expensive ingredients and was more likely to put him to sleep than get him to talk. Did they even have any powdered moonstone?

She chuckled to herself as she scanned over Felix Felicis. Maybe if she took some she would get lucky enough to hear what was on his mind. The likelihood of that plan turning out the way she wanted was pretty slim though. It could just as easily send her off on some random errand around the castle. It also didn't help that they were out of fresh squill bulb as well. They had some Felix Felicis already prepared, but she pas pretty sure Severus would notice if even a drop was missing.

Gregory's Unctuous Unction could help her out. It would cause Severus to believe she was his best friend, and people confide in their best friends. But would Severus? She began to feel more and more like a potion would be a cheaters way out. If she was going to play his game, she wanted to play by his rules... where could she buy more of that alcohol he liked so much? Maybe if she could think of something they could be celebrating?

She snapped the potions book shut and went over to the wall calendar she had put up a few weeks prior. She carefully scanned the days looking for any kind of event that could be celebrated sooner rather than later. Despite her hope, she could find nothing. She also came to the awkward realization that Severus was now staring at her. She had completely forgotten to be subtle about checking the calendar.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Weasley?" He asked in a dry tone, gently stirring the cauldron before him. Ginny nearly apologized and stated that she was completely fine, but a new idea popped into her mind. If there wasn't an event coming up, she could make one up!

"Oh, I-um... I've been feeling a bit bored lately and was thinking about having a small party this weekend." She stated, trying to sound like this wasn't part of a grander scheme.

Severus sneared at her and looked back into the purple depths of his potion. "I loath parties. If you must have one, please warn me in advance so I can be as far from it as possible." He growled, stirring the potion slightly faster.

Ginny stumbled to regain herself. "No, not a party with people. Just a celebration-... uh... just a celebration between us. I don't really feel like having people over anyway. I just thought it would be nice to set a night aside to have some fun." Ginny stuttered, worried he would either dislike her idea, or else catch on to her plan.

"Is that not what we did with Hagrid only two days ago." He stated, he still sounded displeased, but not as irritated as he had been before. She was gaining ground!

"It was, yeah. And I just had so much fun I wanted to do it again!" She was beginning to blush. Severus was silent for a long moment and gave her a sidelong glance that flung her heart into her throat. His eyes were so intense she felt she would crumble. Was he thinking about the night they had spent together? Or was he still feigning ignorance? If he was uninterested in her, he would turn down the idea now and that would be the end of it. Ginny swallowed, preparing herself to accept his verdict. Maybe his interest in her was all in her head.

"That sounds tolerable." He sighed, returning his full attention to his potion.

"Great!" Ginny said a touch to loudly. Covering her mouth in embarrassment she attempted to conceal her enthusiasm. "I mean-... good. I'll start putting something together." She stuttered. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Nothing major of course, just a relaxed evening for the two of us." Ginny laughed, trying not to sound as awkward as she felt.

Severus responded with a look that made her wish he would just pin her to a wall already and answer all of her questions with skin rather than words. But the only movement she received from him was a nod. It was infuriating having these feelings for him when she wasn't even sure if he was interested in her. Yet ever since that almost kiss she had been filled with a burning desire to be closer to him.

Ginny looked back at the calendar. Now it was time to plan a party that would crack open his soul like an oyster.


	19. Ch 19 - Shower Surprise

\- Day 32 -

It had been a long and difficult day working with students, and she hadn't a single moment to work on her plans for a two person party. The day had ended with an exploding cauldron spraying Ginny and Severus with some sort of orange sticky gunk. The students had been supposed to be making a Rursus brew. Ginny suspected the student had added two rat tails instead of one. Either way, she did not appreciate her current unpleasant situation. Her ears were still ringing so loudly from the explosion that she could hardly tell if anyone was speaking to her, let alone what they said.

Back at her and Severus' quarters she decided it was about time to wash the orange gunk off. It was going to require some serious hot water and scrubbing. She told Severus over her shoulder that she was going to get a shower, and went to her room to grab her things. What she did not know due to her loss of hearing was that he had just said the same to her. Neither heard nor saw the other, and Ginny was truly unprepared for what would happen next.

While Ginny was in her room Severus draped his filthy outer robe over the chair at the potions desk and stepped into the lavatory. He disrobed quickly and gladly stepped into the hot water. In his deaf world, the only thing in existence was the hot water running down his body. He closed his eyes and stepped deeper into the steamy spray.

When Ginny stepped out of her room her eye caught the robes on the chair, and her disloyal subconscious interpreted it as Severus himself sitting at the current brew they had cooking. Her subconscious was quite wrong. Ginny opened the door to the lavatory and was momentarily surprised that the room was already filled with warm steam. Unable to hear the shower running, she looked over to see a well-muscled pale back standing under the cascading droplets. His body was tattooed with a map of scars, an elusive whispering of his mysterious past. These marks wrapped around his body perfectly, and in her mind they only accentuated his fine features.

Severus' toned muscles rippled seductively under his skin as he reached up to check and see what damage had been done to his hair. Her eyes carefully traced every mark they could find, resting on some of the more breathtaking ones. Even so badly damaged, his skin wrapped tightly to his body, flaunting his high level of activity. Prior to this, Ginny had figured he must have been in fair shape with how much daily activity he incurred, but never before had she seen a body so perfectly formed.

Water slid down his scarred back, tracing lazy trails around his hips. Slowly the male figure turned under the water and leaned back, his still eyes closed, to soak his hair in the stream of hot water. A bandage wrapped around his left arm caught her eye, and she wondered briefly when this new injury had been inflicted. The others seemed to have healed into a smooth painting of a war fought long ago.

Ginny could feel her face scorching hot as she brought a tentative hand to her mouth. The impulsive side of her wanted to stay and continue watching, but the embarrassed side realized his eyes would not remain closed forever. She slipped out a split second before his eyes flickered open, sensing movement in the room. His eyes snapped to the door, but saw nothing. Eyeing the door suspiciously he resumed scrubbing his hair.

Outside of the door Ginny had turned cherry red and melted to the floor panting heavily. If she didn't know better she would insist the undressed man in the shower behind her was in his early twenties. What she had just observed would be locked in her brain for life, and she was glad to have it there. Once she had regained some semblance of composure she wandered back to her room. She was going to need a spot of personal time after that surprise encounter.

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A/N: I know this chapter is short, but I've been looking forward to it for quite some time. The origional concept was of my husbands concoction, and I thought the idea was too helarious not to include. Most of the racy bits are his idea actually, and I think he's added quite a bit of zest to my writings. I really appreciate the favorites, and it would mean a lot to me to hear what you think! I've been feeling a bit down lately, and comments always make me feel better and like I should continue writing.

Thank you so much Bubbling Cloud! Your comment made me smile so much, you don't even know!


	20. Ch 20 - Party Time - Part 1

\- Day 34 -

Ginny's cheeks still flared red every time the mental image of Severus in the shower crossed her mind. This occurred so much, that Severus had asked her several times if she was feeling feverishand had suggested she see Madam Pomfrey. Ginny had spent as much of the week as she could manage devoted to her plotting... but all of the effort had resulted in three bottles of high end whiskey, a lantern, and a few bowls of various snacks. The lantern had been enchanted to gradually change color based on Severus' mood. That spell had been particularly difficult as it had to be performed with Severus in the same room as the lantern.

She had ended up sneaking into the main room while he slept to enchant the covered lantern, and then creeping back out. It would be worth it though, because hopefully it would give her a much more clear way to tell how he was feeling. The colors weren't exactly specific, and mixed emotions tended to make the colors slur into an indistinguishable shade of brown. But hopefully it would help.

Ginny perched the lantern on the top of the highest shelf, hoping that it would keep the colors largely on the ceiling and out of Severus' general line of sight. She wasn't hiding it from him exactly, but she also feared he would destroy it if he were directly presented with it. Next she put out several bowls of snacks, making sure to have an even balance of sweet and salty. She honestly didn't know what he liked. She even put out a small tray of vegetables just in case.

She had watched him eat, but more often than not, he served himself a medium sized portion of everything near and ate all of it without particular favoritism for any one specific food. So she's gotten the house elves to get her the best variety possible with everything from crisps to hard candies, she was sure he would like something.

She only provided water as an alternative drink, hoping that would encourage him to drink the whiskey. She didn't want him to be black-out drunk, but she also wanted him a bit past tipsy. She did have some pumpkin juice in her room in case the alcohol hit faster than she liked. He couldn't explain his mysterious past if he was unconscious.

She had put a single drop of Veritaserum in the first bottle of whiskey, so that she could be sure he wasn't lying to her about everything. She knew she was being manipulative, but so was he by pretending not to remember! It wasn't enough to have him blurting out his innermost secrets... unless he drank the entire bottle at once. But that was a LOT of alcohol, and he would most likely be on the verge of unconsciousness by then anyway.

As Ginny fussed over how a fuzzy throw blanket was arranged on the couch, she was completely unaware of how awry her evening was about to go.

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A/N: Thank you so much Guest! I'm so glad my story is written well enough that someone whose bilingual can read it! (I'm also extremely impressed, I'm trying to learn a second language, but I'd be lucky if I could bumble through a children's book) I hope you continue to enjoy my writings!

This chapter is short, but it was the perfect breaking point.


	21. Ch 21 - Party Time - Part 2

\- Day 34 -

Severus strolled through the dungeons after having been sent on a completely unnecessary errand by Ginevra. She had sent him to Hagrid's hut to retrieve a jar of doxy powder, something that certainly could have waited until next month. Yet he went along with her silliness more out of curiosity than actual necessity. She had been acting so unusual over the course of the past week, and it had only grown worse as time went by. For a time he was exceptionally worried that she had taken ill, and was debating at what point he should call Madem Pomfrey.

However, every morning at the start of school, she was fine. She did not develop symptoms again until she bumped into him or when they locked eyes. Now they were approaching the beginning of her little "party" and he had to admit he had become interested. What was it that had her changing colors every time she looked at him? With a bracing deep breath, Severus opened the door to his quarters.

Upon first inspection, nothing seemed dangerously amiss. None of the furniture had been moved, and the only addition to the room was a miniature table heavy with food. Though he couldn't imagine why just the two of them would need so much food. There were three whisky bottles out and a pitcher of water, though he took quick note that one of the bottles had already been opened.

Ginevra waited patiently for him on the couch, with two glass tumblers on the table near her knee. Upon seeing him, her face lit up like a beacon, and proceeded to flush deep red as it had been doing for nearly a week. She could hardly meet his gaze as she offered him a seat on his own couch and poured three fingers of whiskey into a glass. She handed it to him with trembling hands, and he took it from her gently. He moved the glass to his mouth, and watched her stare intently at him as the amber liquid began to tilt towards his awaiting lips. He stopped.

"Ladies first." He said, instead handing the glass to her. Her red cheeks flushed deathly while and a smirk taunted his typically expressionless features.

"Oh, no. I mean- I just couldn't. I... this party is for you!" She said stumbling over an explanation as to why she couldn't drink the whiskey. Severus couldn't hide the devilish grin that overtook his face. She had left herself completely open. It was obvious she had done something to the whiskey, and he intended to find out what.

"I can't think of a reason you couldn't have the first sip... unless of course there were something _wrong_ with the whiskey?" Severus watched her eyes go wide, and her smile quivered. He had certainly hit a nerve of some kind. The list of potions or incantations that could be in his glass flooded his mind. So he did the first thing that came to mind. Take advantage of her interest in him to find out just how dangerous that interest was. he slid an arm around her waist, pulling her body close to his, and put the glass to her lips. Ever so gently he whispered "Take a drink Ginevra." into her ear. It had the desired effect. Though she looked as though she may burst into flame, she drank half the glass.

Severus moved away from her and sat back to wait for the potion to take effect. Nothing immediately happened, so he assumed the potion needed some sort of cue. "What did you do to the whiskey Ginevra?" He asked, his voice a seductive growl. It was clear she had interest in him, and if she was going to taunt him with it, he would taunt her back.

"I added a drop of Veritaserum!" She blurted, slapping a hand over her own mouth. Severus chuckled. A drop should be relatively safe, but better safe than sorry.

"Have you done anything to either of the other two bottles?" He asked. Picking one up and staring through the bottle into the amber abyss it heald. There was a sea of endless nights that had been washed away with this dangerous liquid.

Ginevra's shoulders drooped. "No, I haven't touched them." She sighed, and he opened a safe bottle, pouring himself half a glass of that familiar fire-toned whiskey.

The night turned out to be much more entertaining than Severus had initially expected it to be. He found out a variety of interesting things about Ginevra, but carefully avoided subjects he was as of yet unwilling to approach. He was not prepared to ask her about her feelings, or tell her of his for that matter. In his opinion they did not yet know each other well enough to truly mean whatever would be said.

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A/N: I'm so sorry this update is so late! Thank you BubblingCloud for reminding me! Hopefully I'll have more time and energy soon, because I have some exciting directions I want to go with this plot!

BubblingCloud: Thank you so much for both the reminder and the wonderfully kind words!

Guest: Hahaha It was a short chapter, but it was a perfect cut off! I still have a part 3 to this one haha. It's short, but perfect!


	22. Ch 22 - Party Time - Part 3

\- Day 34 -

Ginevera continued to drink the tainted whiskey, and Severus saw no need to stop her. Her ramblings wandered deeper into the obscure and amusing. Thanks to his own third glass of whiskey, he was beginning to find himself smiling and laughing at her stories. They were made all the better by knowing they could not possibly be exaggerated or made-up.

"Then, to get back at the twins for turning my pet ferret into a Christmas ornament, it took me ages to find him that way, I hexed the shower head to sing out of tune opera whenever they turned on the hot water! They had to take cold showers for two weeks because they couldn't figure out how to break it. Mum was so mad at them, because she didn't believe I was the one who had done it! I bet I still remember it... lemme see..." Ginevra ceased her run-on sentences and pulled out her wand, pointing with extremely unsteady aim at the water pitcher.

Before she could let loose a hailstorm of drunken magic, Severus took her hand and slipped her wand out of her grasp. To both of their surprise he didn't let go of her hand after he had set the wand on the table. However, neither did she. He stared at their hands as her fingers tentatively laced themselves with his. He looked up into her wide brown eyes. For a moment, it was as if he couldn't breath.

He leaned close to her, hesitating at the last moment. Dim memories of their day-lives whispered that this was an extremely bad idea. To his shock it was Ginevra who closed the gap and pressed her lips to his. Severus pulled back in surprise, and attempted to remind her of the reasons why they couldn't be intimate. Those reasons seemed to quiet substantially when she closed the distance again, and his senses were filled with her taste and smell. Despite himself he kissed her back. Perhaps three glasses of whiskey had been too many...

"Ginevra, we can't do this..." He murmured pulling away again. He wanted to. She was beautiful, stunning even. But she was intoxicated... so was he, but that was beside the point.

"Mmm-do what? I don' see us do anything." Her eyes were half lidded. If he was going to be close to her it wouldn't be like this.

Trying to think quickly through a sluggish fog, Severus scooped Ginevra into his arms. Her head nuzzled his chest, and he longed to never let her go. He pulled the blankets back on his bed with one hand and lay her down on the chilled silk sheets. He nearly moved back to the couch, but just like she had a week ago, she clung desperately to his arm in her feeble drunken grasp.

"No... no... don't leave me alone... I don't wan't to be alone again..." She whimpered. He glanced at the couch, and back at the sleeping woman that lay in his bed. Despite himself, he slipped under the covers and wrapped his arms around her waist. Pulling her close so that her back was flush against his chest. He inhaled the sweet smell of her hair with relish as she snuggled deeper into his embrace.

In the morning he would awaken before her and resume his daily routine, but for tonight he would savor every second before they fell asleep.


	23. Ch 23 - You've Been Hinkypunked

Ginny wasn't sure exactly what had started her war with Severus. She had always enjoyed putting music on as she prepared for bed, and once when he had sneered at her choice that evening she had offered that he could put on his own music if he didn't like it. In the beginning he was switching her pop music to opera, and as they only had a few records it left few options.

One evening when she went to change, she was surprised when _My Cauldron's Brewing_ by _Warlock's in the Graveyard_ came drifting pleasantly to her ears. She chuckled and the next day made a trip to Diagon Ally to pick up some new records. Clearly he was of the same mindset when he countered her _Witches in the Pantry_ with _Hinkypunked._ it had been ages since she'd heard _Hinkypunked_ , and she had to be honest that Severus didn't seem the type to like alternative rock.

Their auditory banter managed to take place without either of them speaking a word on the matter. In many ways she found that his song choice expressed his emotions far better than his words did. Not in obvious ways of course, but somewhere in the tempo or lyrics she could hear him. Not through words, but the condensed emotion music provides. At times his choices seemed deep and thoughtful like _Hiding Behind A Glamor_ , or simply cute like _Beeswax and Buttercups._

As their record collection grew, she found they occasionally chose a song from an album the other had purchased. Like when she played _Merlins Orchestra_ , or he put on _Musky Murtlaps._ it was all fun and games when it started, but there are few things that a little alcohol can't change.

It was a Friday night after classes had ended. It had been a particularly long week, so Ginny had poured herself several fingers of firewiskey. Severus collapsed beside her on the couch with his own glass and an exasperated sigh. No less than seven cauldrons had been destroyed that week by various means. Four had simply exploded, while two were filled with stone in a single class due to a Setting potion going awry. One had its bottom eaten away by acid. An eighth cauldron had been turned into a rather vicious feral cat, and Ginny was hoping they would be able to catch it and turn it back. They had given up after both she and Severus had received several bites and scratches for their efforts. They left it to hide in the classroom, and the third years nicknames it Scruffy.

Ginny bumped the record player on without looking at what album was set to play. She was relieved it was something slow, because she didn't think either of them were in the mood for "peppy" music. It started innocently enough with a song she enjoyed called _Midnight Skys._

An hour and two glasses of whiskey later, and Ginny looked up to see Severus staring at her as the song _Enchant Me Softly_ played. Sobriety on her part would likely have prevented her from leaning against his shoulder. But sobriety on his part would have stopped him from wrapping an arm around her and enjoying the scent of her hair. Ginny leaned against his chest, and blushed slightly as she became increasingly aware of his muscular body.

She never wanted the night to end, and as the record player began _Witch Hazel Eyes_ he inclined his head towards her, and she closed the gap between their lips. Or at least she was relatively sure that's what she had done, because at that moment weariness overwhelmed her and reality melted in with her dreams. He kissed her back passionately as she felt her connection with the waking world die away.

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To no surprise, the next morning Severus would make no mention of the encounter. Ginny would be far too embarrassed to ask him about it, and she was left to wonder if their kiss had ever even happened.

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AN: The next chapter has been listed as it's own story as it contains a scene of intimacy .I'm quite proud of how it turned out, but I don't want to rate the entire story M for one chapter. Love you all!


	24. Ch 24 - Temple of Thought

AN: The Special Chapter takes place just prior to this one. It was not added to this story line so that readers could choose whether or not they wished to read an intimate scene. I also did not want to have to increase the maturity rating on the whole story for one chapter. Thank you!

* * *

Ginny wandered into the waking world gradually after an incredible night sleep. Thinking about the night before felt as warm and fuzzy as a mug of butterbeer. She glanced over and was unsurprised to find Severus already showered, dressed, and puzzling over a potion on the desk. He had been trying to improve the color on his blabberwart bonding brew. No matter what he had tried it was still a sickly green. Ginny slipped out from under the silk sheets and scampered to the shower before he turned around.

Under the hot jets of steamy water, she could feel all of the frustration that had built up until last night melting down the drain. Today was a new day, and she was ecstatic to face it. Once she was scrubbed clean and dressed she ambled out to find Severus glaring into the potion that had just gone an odd purple and begun foaming.

She traced a finger lightly across his shoulders as she walked past and delighted in the way he suddenly tensed under her touch. With a chuckle, she went to the store room to grab some feed for their pets. There was a spring in her step as she bounced through morning chores, and when it came time for lessons she felt like nothing could get her down.

That was until one of the students found a small love note behind the jar of beetle eyes. Half the third year Gryffindors were snickering about it before she snatched it out of a blond boys hands and blushed as she read the contents of the note.

 _My Firehaired Goddess,_

 _My dearest you are the heart of my Temple of Thought and the reason I awaken in the morning. I will be the love inside you, and when you need me I will always be there for you. When you're restless I will calm the ocean inside you, and take away all of your fears. I will be there for you until death clamps it's cold fingers on my soul._

 _My eternal love,_

 _Starlight_

Ginny flipped the note over as blood boiled in her cheeks. She had no idea who Starlight was, but there weren't any kids with red hair in potion classes that year. It was freshly written, and had clearly not been left from years past. Could it be addressed to her?

"Five points from Gryffindor for passing notes." She snapped, though she was certain none of them had written it. The third years groaned and complained as she bustled to the front of the room, slipping the note in her pocket as she went.

"Is something the matter?" Drawled Severus as she brushed past him, but she had been trying not to look at him for most of the day and felt her ears go pink whenever they locked eyed. She wasn't upset at him by any means, but whenever she looked at him the only thing she could think of was him poised over her the night before. If her face could have gone any redder it would have.

"No, only some students causing a ruckus over some love note." She said, doing her best impression of an unimpressed stoic teacher. Though she knew her color betrayed her.

"May I see it?" He said, and any student would have thought it an irritated command. Ginny knew better. He was curious, but also trying to save face in front of the children.

"It's a love note to Miss Weasley, Professor Snape!" Called out a shockingly brave Gryffindor. Though, as he was a Gryffindor, so she shouldn't be too surprised. His classmates hushed him, but he beamed with pride.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mister Hollander." Growled Severus as he held out an open palm to Ginny. The Gryffindors groaned in frustration. 15 point in one class period.

"It's been... um. Disposed of." Stammered Ginny. If it was indeed addressed to her then she had no idea what his response to it's romantic content would be.

"No it hasn't, she slipped it into her pocket!" Called out the same idiotic Gryffindor, while his classmates muttered disapproving requests for silence. The rest of the Gryffindor house didn't want to loose anymore points.

"Detention Mister Hollander." Severus snapped, locking eyes with Ginny. She could see his amused burning desire in his pitch black eyes. His palm stayed out towards her. Ginny groaned as she slipped the note out of her pocket and into his waiting hand. She wished she could hex that stupid Gryffindor.

Severus read the note carefully and passed it back to her. "It seems someone has quite a fancy for you." He said. But his tone was not irritated as she expected. It was... amused?

Ginny felt like her face was on fire. She had never received love notes as a student. Why now of all times. At last she stormed out of the room. Severus could bloody well teach without her. But in the hallway she pulled the note out of her pocket and read it again. She didn't know who Starlight was, but she was extremely flattered by the note.


	25. Ch 25 - Starlight

It had been a long day in the potions classroom and Ginny was about ready to pull her hair out. Not because of stress exactly, but because one of the third year students had gotten something in it that itched horribly. She had been dying for the end of the day so that she could get a shower followed by a long relaxing bath. She didn't want to risk getting whatever had contaminated her hair into her bath water.

She had already informed Severus that she was going to be using the lavatory for an extensively long time when they got out of the classroom. He had nodded gently, her favorite wry smile hovering just behind his eyes. He refused to get even remotely emotional anywhere near the students. Earlier that day, after Ginny had finished mopping and was tidying up the desks she had found another note. As she had moved a jar of exploding ginger eyelashes further back on the shelf a tantalizing slip of parchment fluttered to the floor.

Ginny reached down to pick it up, trying not to scratch her itchy head. She didn't want to get that students failed brew all over her hands... again. The parchment clearly read "Miss Impossible". Ginny chuckled to herself, it had been a while since she had found one of these notes. She assumed they were written by a star struck lover who had a serious and possibly unrequited love for one of the girls in her classes. She excitedly flipped the note open, curious what the swooning Starlight had to say to his lover this time.

 _My dear Miss Impossible,_

 _It has been my honor and pleasure to spend this glorious time near you. The smell of your hair is sweeter than summer strawberries, and the touch of your hand more tender than the song of the earth on the night of a full moon. If my way were had, I would bestow upon you everything and even my own surname. I thank whatever God may exist for your presence, and beg him nightly for but a moment of your time. Your voice is softer than dewdrops on a spiders web. I would gladly give all I have and more for the sake of your happiness. My darling angel, forgive me for my diffident nature and hear this out pouring of my soul. I pledge my allegiance to you and the protection of your brilliant inner light. My mind, body and soul are yours to command._

 _Eternally yours,_

 _Starlight_

Ginny reread the note twice, no. Thrice. It was beautiful, as his notes always were. It was beyond beautiful. She took a quick look around, the room was empty. Ginny slid the note into the folds of her cloak. If she ever figured out who "Miss Impossible" or the "Fireryhaired" girl was, she would give her the notes and hope that she would have a clue who Starlight was. Until then, she would hold onto every note he wrote. Something this poetic could never simply be thrown away. Though they could also never be found by her companion Severus. There was absolutely no way to know how he would respond to her keeping children's love notes.

At least those were the reasons she gave herself for hiding them in her diary, but those reasons didn't stop her from turning the words over in her mind while she soaked in the bath. Or from leaving the soothing hot water early to read the note again. There had to be some sort of hint as to who the letter was intended for.

She couldn't think of any couples that openly displayed their affections in any of her classes, not that anyone had the stones to hold hands directly in front of Professor Severus Snape. The most bat-like teacher at Hogwarts'... but 'lovers' wouldn't make sense. The writer would have passed the note directly to the recipient, or else left them anywhere but the dank and gloomy dungeon that didn't have a single red haired student this year. It wasn't exactly romance central down here in the doom and gloom. It would be about as romantic as hiding love notes on the Professor's table in the Great Hall.

Perhaps they were star-struck lovers forced apart by different houses or classes, and potions was the only class they shared? Obviously it was a love affair that needed to be kept secret for some reason, but teenagers seemed to think everything needed to be a secret. The more secrets there were, the more gossip was to be had. It could be as simple as one group of friends not liking a companions choice of love interest. But if that were the case, Starlight was failing horribly. It seemed every student on campus now knew of the spicy slips of romance hidden in the lair of the potions master. She had to be quick to snag them out of children's hands as they tried to slip them into pockets.

She glazed over the note again as she towel dried her hair. She could easily dry it with magic, but she didn't think it felt as soft as it did when she air dried it. Ginny went to bed early that night, the note still clearly emblazoned in her mind. She could ask Severus... but he wasn't the kind to care much about love-notes passed between children. "Your voice is softer than dewdrops on a spiders web."... Why couldn't any of the guys that asked her out say things like that. He could have looked like a goblin and she still would have gone out with him when she was young.

Ginny smiled to herself as she felt the weight of her potions master slipping under the silk sheets beside her. For the briefest of moments her heart fluttered as she wished Severus was the one writing these heart throbbing notes, and leaving them out for her to find. But she brushed the thought from her mind. She was certainly in some form of relationship with the dark eyed man, but he had never seemed the type for romance. Even though they had clearly had a bond for some time, that bond was only acknowledge in the dark hours of the night. When there was no one to suspect the closeness the pair shared.

Ginny heaved a sigh. Who was she kidding. She still had little to no proof that Severus had much interest in her besides 'refreshing' himself on tense nights. She was more than happy to provide relief, but her heart ached when she wondered if she would be replaced with a younger newer model after her apprenticeship.

Severus slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her body against his. Such worries could wait until another day. A single candle still gave light to their room and as Ginny sat up to blow it out, something caught her eye. The bandage she had long since forgotten on her lovers arm had slipped down revealing distinctive black markings.

Ginny gasped and Severus sat up suddenly, looking about the room for the cause of her alarm. He followed her gaze to his forearm, and hastily covered up the revealed head of a serpent sprouting from the mouth of a skull.

"It's not what it-" He began, trying to calm her. But the time for calm was long since over.

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A/N: Happy New Year! Please review! I actually forget to write without reviews!


	26. Ch 26 - Marked

Morning struck the castle, and the only blessing to come to the pair in the potions masters living quarters was the knowledge that it was a Saturday and there would be no children bustling for their first classes. Dark circles had taken up residence under Ginny's eyes as she had not slept a wink. How could she sleep knowing she had been living with a monster.

After the mortifying revelation the night before, Ginny had ran to her own room and barricaded herself in. At first Severus had tried to explain himself to her, but she would have none of it. He had even resorted to begging, yet she still refused to speak to him. Ginny was rather certain she had even heard him slump down at the door and cry, but she refused to listen to his pleading. She glared up at the inky black lake bottom above her bed and tried to decide her next course of action.

But that had all been the night before. It was morning now, and she could finally take action on her decision. She dressed hastily and unbarred her door. She heard Severus move away from the door as he had spend the night leaning against it, sobbing periodically. When her eyes met his, he looked as though he was knocking and deaths door. His face was blotchy and somehow still pale, his eyes were red and swollen, and black half moons told her that he had slept no more than she had. He looked like a bedraggled wet cat the way his greasy black hair hung in knotted tangles.

There was dried blood splattering the floor and his robes, and it looked as though he had tried to claw his dark mark off. None of his wounds were life threatening, and old scars showed her that he had attempted the same thing before. But that tattoo was all too familiar, and neither magic nor blade could remove it.

For a moment she longed to forgive him. To kneel down and hear out his side of what had happened. Voldemort had died before she had even been born after all... but he had hidden it from her. And it wasn't exactly a drunken tattoo of a butterfly that he had concealed. It was the dark mark.

Ginny brushed past him, skipping her morning shower. He made no move to stop her, and curled up into the corner as she left the room they had previously shared. She would go directly to the Headmaster and tender her resignation.

No one spoke to her as she stormed up to Dumbledore's office, first years sprung so quickly out of her way that they collided with other students and occasionally walls or doors. Ginny didn't even slow to see if they were alright. She was a witch on a mission.

Once she arrived at the gargoyle that concealed the staircase to Dumbledore's office she growled "Tongue Tying Toffee" so sharply that the gargoyle nearly fell over as it scuttled out of her war path. When she finally stormed into the office, every portrait turned to gawk at her. She had not announced herself, and didn't much care if he was in a meeting with the Minister of Magic himself. She needed a word and needed it now.

Dumbledore was sitting peacefully behind his desk with his fingers steepled in thought.

"Ah! Miss Weasley, how lovely to see you. Lemon drop?" He asked in his typical wispy jovial way. She would hear none of it today.

"SEVERUS IS A DEATH EATER!" She shouted so loudly that she was certain students in the astronomy tower could hear her.

"Why, Miss Weasley. Voldemort is dead. There are no longer any death eaters, only misguided men and women with scars." He said softly. His voice was so calm it set her even more on edge.

"You KNEW Severus was a death eater?!" Ginny felt like she could hex the Headmaster of the school right then and there. "I have been living with that... that THING for well over a year, and you KNEW?" She practically screamed.

"You seem a bit out of sorts Miss Weasley. I'll send for some tea while you take a breath." The old man chuckled warmly.

Ginny's hands opened and closed as she fantasized about grabbing the old coot by the beard to scream directly into his beaming face. But instead she dropped into a chair in front of his desk and folded her arms. By this time tomorrow she expected to be back home forgetting that any of this catastrophe had ever happened.

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A/N: This would be the worst place to just end the story.


	27. Ch 27 - Marked - Part 2

Ginny swept into Dumbledore's office in a furious rage, entirely prepared to release all of her pent up emotions that had been boiling under her skin since the night before. Before even opening the door to his office she had risen a finger in warning as though she were about to scold a student and took a deep breath. Readying herself for her long awaited tirade. But the door burst open as her fingertips brushed the handle.

"Ginevra!" Dumbledore said flinging both the door and his arms open wide. "So good of you to come! My owl must be faster than I anticipated." He mistook her raised arm for an invitation for an embrace and gladly obliged before ushering her to a red velvet couch in his office. "Come in, come in. Please have a seat. Licorice mouse?" He said sweetly, offering her a tin that jostled and squeaked in his hand.

Ginny declined the mice, and attempted to get the Headmasters attention. "No Professor, I came here because-" but once again she was cut off.

"I know why you've come." Dumbledore said coolly, and his eyes gave a mischievous twinkle that silenced her as the door creaked open once again.

Severus swanned into the room without giving her a glance. "You summoned me, Headmaster?" Drawled his cold aloof voice.

If Ginny hadn't have been sitting on the red velvet couch that had only been installed a month ago, she would have sworn she had gone back in time to her school days.

"Yes, yes. Have a seat Severus... hmm. I do believe we are missing someone. You two wait here, I'll get them myself." Dumbledore said as he whisked out the door, giving Ginny a wink over his shoulder as he vanished.

There was a long silence after Severus sat down and Ginny stared at her hands, too enraged to look up. The stillness wore on until Ginny finally glared up at the liar of a man whom she had once felt so close to and now betrayed by.

At a quick glance he had looked put together, collected, and generally above the concerns lowly humans faced. Under closer inspection his slick hair was disheveled as though he had combed it with his fingers rather than a brush. The deep circles under his eyes whispered of his sleepless night. His back was rigid, but his fingers twisted the seam of his cloak that hung ever so slightly crookedly on his shoulders.

Most of these minute differences were imperceptible to the untrained eye... but if her eye had been trained on anything this past year and a half, it was him. To her, he looked shabby and worn out.

The minutes wore on and she tried not to let his silence get to her. But he moved only once. To drop his gaze from the window to his feet. Ginny heaved a sigh.

"Talk." She growled into the silence.

His eyes snapped to hers in an instant. His black eyes were wide and rimmed in red, slightly misted. "I beg your pardon?" He said, his cold tone no longer imposing to her trained ears.

Rather than repeating herself, Ginny settled for raising an eyebrow. If Dumbledore wanted her to talk to him, she certainly wouldn't make it easy.

"I... I didn't want you to see..." His voice quavering slightly as he clutched his left forearm. His gaze drifted back to the floor.

Many things passed through Ginny's mind, most of them utilizing words she had learned from her brother's. Instead she settled for a simple "Why."

"I was afraid you would hate me." Severus looked like he wanted to roll in on himself and die. Her heart panged slightly in her chest.

"Shouldn't I?" She said flatly, her emotionless voice sounding cold to her own ears.

There was a long pregnant pause before Severus finally answered with a barely audible "Yes..."

"Why." Ginny said, though her voice was cold and distant her mind was filled with the wonderful moments they had shared since her arrival. From dancing at midnight to pop songs, or traveling through the forbidden forest to find herbs. Getting drunk at Hagrid's and sharing tender moments in the moonlight. The last year and a half had been her most treasured in all her days at Hogwarts.

"I... I sided with the dark lord..." He whispered, absentmindedly clawing at his arm.

"That's not why I'm mad." Ginny said coldly, surprising herself. His eyes locked onto hers, and his look of confusion matched her own feelings. The rage fueled words came out before she could fully think them through. "I'm not mad because you helped some evil bloke who died before I was born! I'm mad because after all this time you couldn't trust me! I gave you everything.-" She was standing now, though she couldn't recall rising to her feet. "I gave you everything, and you never trusted me back." Her words choked in her throat as her rage gave way to the pain she had been hiding within herself.

Severus' mouth opened and closed like a confused fish several times before he spoke. "That's not why- I didn't mean... Ginevra, please..." he reached a trembling hand out to her, but she spun on her heel, turning her back on him.

He may have had more to say, but at that moment the door burst open once more. Severus' hand fell back into his lap, and a cold glare swept the emotion from his face. Ginny wiped her eyes discreetly and slipped back into her seat as though she had merely been readjusting herself.

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A/N: My dear Guest, thank you so much for your wonderful comment! I hope you create an account so that we can chat! I have several more exciting things I'd love to do with this story! I just need to find the drive to sit down and type them out haha Thanks for giving me the idea of bringing up how the family feels! I forgot about that, but it could end up being a pretty fascinating scene. Have a spectacular day.


	28. Ch 28 - Marked - Part 3

To Ginny's surprise, and obviously Severus' as well, the individual who entered the room with Dumbledore was none other than Mirum Coles. The Ravenclaw girl who had been made Professor Binn's apprentice at Ginny's sorting. Severus made no move other than to widen his eyes slightly at the unexpected guest, and Ginny unconsciously mimicked the manner of her master.

The pathetic historian looked like she was near tears as Dumbledore ushered her towards the potions master and his pupil. A sidelong glance at each other told both Ginny and Severus that the other was as confounded as they were. What could this trembling young girl have to do with the discovery of Severus' dark mark? The two stoic dungeon dwellers waited for the girl to speak.

Mirum glanced from Ginny to Severus and back, searching for a friendly face to address. But Ginny's close proximity to the bat-like instructor had affected her in ways she was, as of yet, unaware of. Ginny's flaming red hair was pulled back into a fierce bun, to keep it from straying too near to potions. Her scowling expression matched the one she had spent so many hours gazing into, likewise her rigid posture unconsciously mimic the man she had been infatuated with for so long. A raised eyebrow from Severus silently whispered that what little patience he had was wearing thin.

"P-p-professor? M-m-ma'am?" The girls stammering introduction halted as her eyes danced between the unimpressed potions master and his presently livid muse. The Ravenclaw closed her eyes and with a swallow half shouted "WILLYOUPLEASETELLMEHOWTHEDARKLORDDIED?"

A long silence followed until Severus growled "I beg your pardon." In a tone that clearly communicated that he had no interest in discussing the subject.

Ginny blinked. The girl had spoken too quickly for her to catch what she was requesting, and she couldn't fathom what Severus found so off-putting. "Try breathing when you speak." She snapped, sounding harsher than she intended.

"Will you..." The Ravenclaw girls words drifted as she stared at her fidgeting hands. "Would you be so kind as to...-" she gulped a breath of air. "-tell me how the Dark Lord was defeated?" The last bit was nearly a whisper, but Ginny made it out. The watery eyes of the girl looked pleadingly into Severus' cold glare. "Professor Binn's would really like to know, and Dumbledore told me you may be able to help." Her eyes widened in shock as Severus' narrowed into a glare. "I-I swear he won't tell anyone until we're all dead!" She added in hurriedly as though it were of some consolation.

Severus opened his mouth, presumably to snap out a declination of her request. But his eyes wandered over to Ginny and his words froze in his throat. He rolled his eyes and turned his back on the three curious onlookers, choosing instead to walk to the window to stare at the distant horizon beyond the forest.

"I suppose it's time someone who would remember found out." Severus began slowly. "It was over two decades ago at any rate." Ginny blinked as Severus spoke, her burning fury momentarily forgotten. "I was informed by a trustworthy source that the man I was in service to had decided he was going to murder my worst enemy, an innocent infant... and..." His eyes briefly flickered to Ginny's and she could see silent tears glistening in his sad gaze. He looked back out the window. "... and the woman I loved."

Mirum gasped at Severus' confession, but Ginny was filled with such a mix of emotions that she was glad no one was looking at her. She wanted to bristle at the thought that her lover had ever had thoughts of another woman, but she also wanted to cry at how heartbroken his expression was when he looked at her. Silently they allowed him to continue at his own pace.

"I couldn't allow that. At first I begged Dumbledore to aid me, but in the end there was nothing he could do. The man I hated and the woman I loved went into hiding with their son, and believed themselves safe. But in the end, they put their trust in a man who would betray them. I couldn't let her die. I followed my master to their house, hoping against hope that someone else would stop him for me. But there was no one else." Severus said, his deep voice attempting to conceal the emotion he felt.

"When he placed his hand on her door... it..." Severus' voice quavered. "... I didn't do it on purpose... I shot him in the back with the killing curse." He said slowly. Mirum gasped again and Ginny simply blinked in shock.

His story continued. "I knew he wasn't completely dead of course. I heard him once boasting to his snake, Nagini, when he thought no one could hear. He said that nothing could kill him because he had been dividing his own soul into horcruxes. One within Nagini, and five others in specific magical items. Though he did not say what those items were. After I had killed my master in secret, as there was no one else at her house, I called upon an old friend. Regulus Black. Like me he had decided that the Dark Lord had gone too far. Together we spent years seeking out the other vile places he had placed fragments of his soul. And wherever we could, we outed his other followers to the Ministry of Magic. We nearly died countless times, but in the end we destroyed that horrible _thing_ that would endanger my Lily." Severus said, not turning from the window.

Ginny wasn't sure whether to praise him for defeating the Dark Lord or shout at him for hiding all this from her. To her relief, the Ravenclaw asked the question that lingered on her mind.

"What happened to-... to Lily?" The girl stammered, her hands clasped to her heart and tears flooding down her cheeks. Evidently she had no conflicting feelings on the story.

Severus gave a harsh laugh. "Lily? I loved her, but she did not return my feelings. After many conversations we became friends again after I had made an idiotic mistake in our childhood. Had she been killed, I don't know how I would have overcome my feelings. But because of a single instance of bravery in my cowardly life, I was able to become friends with her again." His eyes met Ginny's once more. "JUST friends." He stated, his eyes red from tears witnessed by only the window.

"It's a good thing too." Severus said, straightening his shoulders as if to shake off the emotions he hid from his listeners. "The pompous brat lives in the castle with us even now." He snarled.

The Ravenclaw gasped once more and Ginny was certain if she took in any more air she would pop. Thankfully the girl let out some of her breath by asking "Who is he?" In a voice filled with awe.

Severus turned back to them, his face cold and clear. Ginny had no idea how he could conceal his emotions so quickly. "His name is Harry bloody Potter." He said with a sneer.

But the Ravenclaw's knuckles pressed against her mouth and her teary eyes were so large Ginny was worried they would fall out of her head. "The Dark Lord... defeated by unrequited true love. May I have the honor of writing your biography?" She asked, breathless. Before quickly adding in "I swear not to publish it until you give the say so."

Severus recoiled from her as though she were a snake. Before finally growling "If you must. But speak a word of this to no one but Professor Binn's. And I expect him to keep it with the utmost confidentiality, lest I find a reason to seek out a way to murder the dead." And he swept towards the door with a flourish of his cloak. Though he hesitated with his hand on the door handle. "Ginevra, would you mind coming with me? I believe there is something we must discuss." And with that he was gone.

Ginny stared at the door confounded, before silently following him. She couldn't exactly demand to leave the castle after a revelation like that, now could she.

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A/N: That Same Guest:Your responses make me the happiest! I'm not sure how I'm going to figure that in... but now I REALLY want to try!


	29. Ch 29 - Back in the Dungeon - Part 1

Severus swept down the staircase, hardly looking over his shoulder to see if Ginevera was following. He felt sick to his stomach. His eyes scratchy and raw from crying most of the night. He cried until he thought he had run out of tears, only to resume once more like a wound that refused to stop bleeding. Even now the castles cool dry air stung on his moist eyes as he strode as quickly as humanly possible without running.

She was the first good thing to happen to him since he had met Lily, and he had lost it all in an instant the same way he had lost her. It felt as though an invisible hand was crushing his raw windpipe. Should he have tried to tell her sooner, or would that have only robbed him of what precious time he had been granted with her? Should he have made a better attempt at hiding his bloody mark, or would that have done naught but postpone the inevitable?

It never ceased to amaze him how a handful of idiotic decisions in his youth would eternally bind him to a black future of sorrow and loss. Severus hated himself. He wanted to rip his own arm off at the elbow. Loving her had made him weak and he had yet to decide whether he loved the tender feelings he felt for this smart, funny, creative, crafty, gorgeous ginger woman... or if he loathed how weak he had become in her care.

On one extreme he wanted to tell her to leave and never return, so he may be free to die alone in his shame. Or did he want to do whatever it took to attain her forgiveness. But was forgiveness even possible at this point? His eyes swept briefly backwards at the roiling tendrils of red hair that crept away from his lovers head and danced about her like the legs of an agitated octopus as she stormed after him. It had originally been pulled into a severe bun, but she had taken it down at some point and it was now free to attempt escape.

Were the burning passion in her eyes not focused on fury at him, it would have made him fall evermore in love with her. Losing her felt like his soul had been ripped from his body and cast into the depths of the abyss. The world at large standing idly by, watching his husk of a body stumble through the motions of life, waiting for his death like circling thestrals.

Severus arrived at the door of their shared accommodations and he felt as though his hands were so slick with nervous sweat that he would fail to open the door he had used daily for nearly a decade and a half. By sheer luck he succeeded, and swept into the room as though he was not trembling at the thought of Ginevera's rage, and ultimately rejection.

When he got a good look at her he could see her complexion was spotted. Her skin unable to decide between a pale flush from the rapid walk, or a bloodstained red from her concealed rage. For an excruciatingly long moment they stood in silence and eyed each other, unsure who would make the first move. Severus' mind raced through his potential options.

He could offer her tea, but would risk sounding dismissive of the present situation. He could take a seat and await her next move, but what if that move was to go directly to her room to grab her bags? He could Stupify her until he was more prepared to handle the situation, but it was unlikely that would work to his advantage in any way. Just as he inhaled and opened his mouth to speak, Ginevera cut him off.

"Not a word. Not a single word." She snapped thrusting a threatening finger in his face. His mouth promptly snapped shut. "Here I am swooning all over you, and you're lying to my face like a greasy sack of rotten cabbage. I thought I'd fallen for you. Fallen for the teacher like some idiotic school girl. But then this. You lie to me, you conceal extraordinarily important facts, and you present it all in front of some Delila you hardly know as though you were informing her about the weather! What do you have to say for yourself!" She shrieked, her voice strongly reminiscent of the howlers the Weasley boys had received on a number of occasions.

"I-" Severus began to speak once more but was silenced by the threatening finger once more snapping into his face so close he was certain it had touched his nose.

"Not another word. I don't want to listen to you try to work your way out of this one. This is unacceptable. Everything about this is unacceptable." Her shrill screaming was gradually devolving into hateful shouting. "You made me look the fool. A fool in front of Dumbledore, as well as that Ravenclaw witch. I ought to hex you right now." Her eyes narrowed slightly and the hand nearest her side twitched ominously over her wand.

Severus let out a gentle sigh and hung his head slightly. He had every intention of letting her throw any spells he wanted at him. She could hit him with Bombarda from two feet away and he wouldn't lift a finger to stop her.

"Don't you dare give me that pitiful look you horrible, miserable man. My life would have been better off if I had stuck with my first instincts and never become your apprentice in the first place." She shouted the words at him and they hung in the air like a strike lingering on skin. In fact, Severus would have preferred a blow.

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That Same Guest: I didn't have anything prepared, and you reminded me to get back to the keyboard. Thank you!

ThePhoenixandtheDragon: Thank you so much for your comment! I'm glad I could introduce you to a new pairing idea haha. Personality-wise, I think they are well suited for each other!

Minerva394: I'm so glad you are enjoying my story!


	30. Ch 30 - Back in the Dungeon - Part 2

Ginny immediate wished she could grab the words out of the air and shove them back down her miserable throat. She certainly was livid! But she was angry that he had lied to her, not that she had decided to stay. Up until yesterday, her stay with him had been the most fun she'd had in all her life.

But she couldn't unsay what had already been said. His head hung slightly, his hair framing his face like bars on a window. She had gone too far and they both knew it. He clearly had good reason for keeping his secret, and had explained himself well... so why did she still yell at him. It was of course still completely unacceptable for him not to have even addressed the situation with her before divulging all in a room with others... but she hadn't exactly given him an opportunity to explain himself.

Ginny thought about Severus sitting at the door all night, with every intention of explaining everything to her... but she hadn't even gotten close enough to the door to hear him clearly. Mistakes had been made, and Severus had not been the only one making them.

In a feeble voice that sounded little like the strong tone she was accustomed to, Severus asked "What do you want?" He sounded distant... heartbroken.

Ginny sat down on the couch staring at her open palms. She didn't know what she wanted. She didn't want to forgive him, but she also didn't want to lose him. Her hands were trembling. Her whole body was trembling. Gradually, Ginny began to cry.

For a time neither of them moved. Ginny sat on the couch and cried into her open hands, and Severus' shoulders shook gently. His hair concealing his face. After a long while in silence, Severus stepped forward to where Ginny sat and knelt before her. He took her hands cautiously, leaving ample opportunity for her to pull away from him. She had no doubt that if she so much as flinched from his grasp, he would back away and let her leave for good. She allowed him to take her hands.

"Ginevera... I have made a great many mistakes in my life, but this one is perhaps my most regrettable yet. I have no way to undo the past, and I have no idea how to progress into the future I desire..." his voice faltered and died away, as he looked down at their clasped hands.

"What is the future you desire." Her tone sounded cold and distant. Her heart felt as though it was cracking in half in her chest.

"Whatever future in which you do not leave." Severus said softly, his words catching in his throat as he looked up into her hazel eyes.

There were no more words spoken that night, but as the two embraced at let their emotions flood from their souls... something deeper than words passed between them. Perhaps it was occlumency. Perhaps it was endorphins. But something within the deepest parts of their beings connected in a way neither had ever felt before.

Severus' inner walls were torn down, and from behind them came a flood of emotion that had been walled up inside. Ginny's rage gave way to the hope that perhaps not all was lost. The two sought comfort within each other in a way scarcely seen between a Slytherin and anyone. Especially not a Gryffindor.

There would be much to discuss over the coming days, but in the silence of this one day in particular it felt as though all that needed to be said could wait for another day.

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A/N: I'm so sorry this has taken me so long! It's been an on and off battle with depression. Thank you for all your continued support! Also, I'm opening an Etsy store (called KnittedDragon) and it's been keeping my hands busy!

Lilytigerlili24 - Thank you for making my day! I'm sorry I made you cry, but I plan to fix it! I just need to get my heart back into writing... I really do have a happy ending planned, I promise.

Booboovelazquez - Thank you for taking a chance! Sorry the pairing was so unusual... I was looking forward to working with Ginny's hot-headed temper, and Hermione just doesn't have that same temper. She's a great character, but didn't quite fit here for me. Not to mention, I particularly enjoy unusual pairings!

That Same Guest - Sorry I missed Valentine's! I was putting together a last minute gift for my own Valentine Haha. But hopefully I'll get more inspiration soon ;)


	31. Ch 31 - Jar of Hearts - Part 1

The next morning neither Severus nor Ginny had any intention of discussing the matter of the days prior. In a sense they were neither friendly or cold towards each other. They passed each other like unmarked ships in the darkness of a moonless night. Ginny held neither fury or fondness for Severus, and instead was left with an aching sense of numbness. She longed to find the connection they'd had less than a week before, but her emotions jumbled into a grey mess in her heart.

They taught classes stiffly, avoiding eye contact. But if they happened to brush against each other, neither pulled away. Several days passed in a dull haze, neither counted or acknowledged. Ginny was beginning to wonder if her year would end in this flavorless manner, when a slight spark ignited a fleck of light in her colorless world. This spark came from a slip of paper in an unfamiliar black jar she stumbled upon while cleaning the potions room one night after class.

 _My Firehaired Goddess,_

 _You have not been well, and your dark expression weighs heavily on my soul. This jar is enchanted so that we are the only two who will notice its presence. To any other, it will look a bland jar filled with muck and only you will see its true colors. Just as you are the only one who see's the true colors of my innermost being, so to will you see this jar. This plain jar has embedded within it's enchantment a binding spell. If you place one drop of your blood on the bottom of the jar, then it will reflect to your eyes my emotions and to me it will reveal yours whenever the note is changed. When it has changed it's color I will know you have found my message and responded, and by it's color I will see clearly in what heart you intend for your message to be read. I wait eagerly for your reply._

 _Yours until the end of time,_

 _Starlight_

Ginny turned the plain black jar in her hand, and read the note once more. She could place it back on the shelf with the note inside, and Starlight would eventually overcome his infatuation with his teacher. Or she could place a drop of blood on the jar and reveal in color what spun in the heart of this curious stranger. She should have wondered how a student obtained such a jar. She should have left the heart of a child alone. But almost unconsciously she pricked her finger with her silver potions knife and pressed the bead of red that swelled from it onto the bottom of the jar.

Instantaneously tendrils of vibrant color lapped up from the base of the jar, twining with each other until the entire jar was swept into a rippling array of color. Deep blues swam through a sea of blood red like fish dancing in the waves, above it skies of silvery grey fought with golden yellows. She could hardly fathom what sort of spell, or in this case emotion would produce such a scene... but after gazing into the dancing colors on the jar she lost the will to resist. Looking over her shoulder, Ginny scampered to the rolls of empty parchment in the corner of the room and tore off just enough to scribble her pathetic reply.

 _I am here._

She wished she could dredge up more from the empty pit of her heart, but her feelings were far out of her own reach. She folded the note in half and after watching the blue fish leap and dance for a few moments longer in the sea of blood, she dropped her brief note inside. Sadly, she watched the color sweep away into darkness. Once again the jar was black. She would have loved to see how the jar showed her own emotions, but with the jar black until his reply it would be much easier to notice when the parchment inside was replaced. Perhaps she would even catch Starlight in the act.

Ginny placed the jar gently back onto the shelf and was amazed at how well it blended into the wall of miscellaneous potion ingredients. Unconsciously a tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped it away as it grew cold on her skin. Ginny finished her cleaning and trudged back to her shared room with Severus. In her haze she didn't notice a shadowed figure slipping into the classroom as she disappeared down the dark hallway.


	32. Ch 32 - Jar of Hearts - Part 2

Ginny awoke groggy the next morning having stayed up far too late wondering about the black jar in the nearby classroom. She knew it was ridiculous to think that she would have Starlight first period... or at least she hoped not. First period was the second years. Sixth and seventh years were the third period, so maybe she would notice one of them looking at the jar in question. Maybe she would break for lunch and return to a new swirling pattern.

Ginny was pulling her hair into its tight bun, but when she reached down for her hairbrush her hand brushed against the cool smooth skin of the potions master she still resided with who happened to be using the same mirror in the shared common area to prepare for the day. The touch lingered for a moment as they both looked at their touching hands. But soon Ginny's fingers closed around the handle of her brush, and she pulled away.

She wanted to be mad at Severus for lying to her for so long, but he didn't have to explain himself for her to understand why he couldn't have told her the truth. She yearned for the physical closeness they shared before things had come crashing down. But she had not healed from his betrayal.

The day passed slowly as Ginny couldn't help herself from glancing at the jar every moment she possibly could. She knew one of the students had to be putting her up for a gag, and she intended to make that student pay dearly for their cruel joke. Or at least that's what she told herself.

The day came to a close, and still, the jar remained dull and black. Severus offered to clean the classroom for her, but she declined. She wasn't sure why she wanted to stay and clean up, but something about the jar brought her a deep inner peace.

Gradually she worked her way around the room, wiping off desks, straightening potion ingredients up, putting borrowed school books back in the cabinet. She knew she could accomplish all of this in seconds with a wave of her wand, but tidying up helped to calm her nerves.

Without warning, colors began to blossom around the jar. First pink blossoms, then red liquid flames danced around the jar until it was swirling with purple and gold. Ginny ran to the colorful jar, dropping the broom she had been using in her haste. It clattered on the stone loudly, already forgotten. Gingerly pulling the note from inside she could already see the swirling green scrawl of her secretive penpal:

 _My goddess of the autumn flame,_

 _You seem distracted as of late, and I can hardly fathom why. I beg of you to speak frankly of what's on your heart, so I may comfort you in your time of need. Were you a potion I could add unicorn hair to brighten your countenance, or creeping fern to clear your mind. But your complexities are much too deep to solve with a brew. I am here, no matter what. Forever and always I am yours._

 _Starlight_

Tears blistered at the corners of Ginny's eyes, and she brushed them away. Nothing in this note should make her cry. But the thought of someone... anyone... caring so deeply for her was overwhelming. Ginny would never admit it to a soul, but she had a quill and parchment stuffed into her sleeve specifically to respond to the curious jar.

 _Dearest Starlight,_

 _I've had a spat with Severus, and I don't know what I can do to fix it. He has done something I'm not sure I can forgive._ _He kept a very big secret from me about something extremely important, and it hurts to think that he wouldn't trust me enough to tell me._

 _You sound like you know your way around a cauldron... what's your favorite potion?_

 _Ginevra_

Ginny stared at her pathetic response. When she looked at in on paper her reason to be angry with Severus seemed so simple. So ridiculous. She was this broken up because he didn't tell her about something in his distant past? Especially something that could upset her as much as it did. Suddenly she wondered if she would have told him about her history if they were to trade places.

She couldn't imagine telling Severus about the time the twins hexed her so that bogeys constantly poured from her nose, sticking to everything they touched like glue... but she expected him to tell her about his time working for Lord Voldemort? She thought about crumpling up her response and starting over... but instead, she added on to the end.

 _P.S. I know I'm overreacting. I suppose I just need some time to be upset about this. It's his past to share when he's ready, and I shouldn't have gotten so upset in the first place._

Her addition made her feel slightly less like a moody second year. She slipped the note back into the jar and turned around to face the room, feeling much better than she had before. Only now did it strike her as odd... she had been alone in this room the entire time. If no one entered or exited the room, how did the note get into the jar?

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A/N: Thank you for all of the wonderful comments that kept me writing! I've been going through a lot the past few months, and those comments made my day. I just moved to a new location, so hopefully I'll be able to finish this story soon!


	33. Ch 33 - Jar of Hearts - Part 3

Ginny had been exchanging notes with the mysterious jar penpal for some time now, eagerly awaiting each new response in it's curling green ink. She found out that Starlight did indeed know quite a lot about potions and considered her quite reasonable for needing some time to be upset. Which was rather surprising in that no one else had ever told her it was alright to be frustrated when someone hurt her.

In an odd way, just being told her feelings were a reasonable response helped to ease the burning coals in her heart. Gradually she began to soften up towards Severus, and even speaking casually to him once more. Before she knew it, she was smiling when he walked into the room and going out of her way to spend time with him.

This evening, in fact, she had accepted his invitation to go to Hagrid's for drinks. She told Starlight about everything and he was certain that a night to unwind would do her some good. But try as she might, she could not mention her penpal to Severus. It was easy to tell Starlight all about Severus (and she silently prayed that doing so would not come back to bite her. He seemed discreet enough to keep things to himself.) But she told him nothing of the dark mark and the story that came with it.

Starlight never seemed to encourage her towards or away from Severus. He only encouraged her to follow what was in her heart and to be understanding that there were some secrets that needed to be kept. She could infer that he was referring to his own identity with the last portion. There must be a reason he didn't want her to know who he was.

Ginny arrived at Hagrids doorstep with a bottle of firewhiskey And Sev's alcohol in hand. Hagrid pulled her into his hut with a joyful thump on the back, and she was unsurprised to see Severus already there. It was incredible the amount of cool poise he could maintain while sitting in Hagrid's shabby hut.

Soon drinks were poured and passed around. Hagrid asked about the general happenings in their dungeon classroom. Severus mentioned several praiseworthy students and glowed about their accomplishments. Then he dropped the names of his problem students and briefly rushed over the most recent classroom catastrophes. Hagrid laughed heartily and shared both his prize students, along with the ones that should never be allowed around dangerous animals. He had apparently had a recent student try to pet a chimera. The student was raced to the hospital wing of course, and was presently on the mend.

Ginny tried her best to follow the conversation, but found that her reactions were delayed. She couldn't take her mind off the jar. Recently she had been getting more curious about how the jar was made, and how Starlight managed to slip notes into in when he wasn't even in the room. She thanked her lucky stars that alcohol was quickly dulling the senses of her companions and if they were noticing her distraction they had the decency not to mention it.

As the firewhiskey did its work though, she found thoughts of colorful jars and notes slipping from her mind. Across the table, Severus was laughing at a joke Hagrid told and Ginny could help but to find herself entranced by his smile. Her anger had long since faded and the fuzzy feeling from her drink was eating away at the invisible wall she had built between them.

His smile was contagious, and Ginny was soon smiling into her glass of firewhiskey. His eyes were bright and the lines in his cheeks were genuine. She almost wishes she had been paying attention to what Hagrid was saying.

Quite unexpectedly Hagrid turned towards her "So how's it been working with this old bat?" He asked thrusting a thumb at Severus.

"Actually I quite like it." Ginny said, words rolling from her tongue before she could think them through. "He certainly knows what he's doing with his hands- with his cauldron I mean... you know... with the stirring?" She gestured a stirring motion, hoping Hagrid was too drunk to notice her slip. To her delight he was.

"Ah! Those cauldrons with their infernal stirring. Ah never could get that sorta stuff right." He harrumphed staring down at his giant hands. "These big ol' hands are much better suited to critters." He glared drunkenly at his hands as Ginny briefly made eye contact with Severus. His eyes had a knowing shine, one that sent delightful chills down her spine. She did rather miss seeing what Severus could do with his hands that didn't involve brewing.

At some point in the evening, Charlie bumbled in covered in blood and chicken feathers. Severus politely pulled him up a stool and moved to sit directly beside Ginny. Charlie gladly welcomed a glass of firewhiskey and the stool as launched into an epic tale of feeding the chemira. But Ginny's attention was on Severus' leg that now seemed to inadvertently be brushing up against her own.

However, when she locked eyes with Severus his hungry gaze was anything but inadvertent. She had enough room that she could move her legs away from his... but instead, she leaned them slightly closer. Soon his thumb was brushing against her thigh, and he gave her a glance of worry. He wanted her, and badly, but if she set boundaries he would respect them. That's how their relationship had always been.

Ginny slipped her hand over his under the table, and he moved to pull away. She held fast. Rather than push his hand back she pulled it fully onto her thigh as she leaned forward to listen more closely to Charlie's current story about beetle blight. Or at least appear interested in the complexities of beetle blight as Severus' curious hand explored her thigh in greater depth.

Soon it became a game. How far could their hands wander without gaining the unwanted attention of their hosts? Thanks to alcohol, rather far apparently. Eventually, the bottle of firewhiskey was done along with a barrel of Hagrid's ale. Severus took Ginny by the arm and with fond farewells, they made their way into the crisp night air.

As soon as they were out of earshot Severus leaned in and muttered: "Would you care to join me for a swim in the Black Lake?" His voice was as silken as ever.

Ginny looked down at the snowdrifts that surrounded her feet. "But it's the middle of winter? The lake will be half frozen!" She proclaimed.

Severus pulled two small bottles from the depths of his cloak. One was a wit-sharpening potion and the other a warm-up serum. One would alleviate the effects of the alcohol she had consumed and the other would keep her warm for over an hour in icy temperatures. Ginny hardly thought as she grabbed the warm-up potion and took a gulp. He offered her the wit-sharpening potion, but she turned it away once more. Severus took a mouthful of warm-up serum and the two bottles disappeared back into his cloak.

"... We don't have bathing suits." Ginny stated as they reached the edge of the lake not easily visible from the castle.

Severus cocker an eyebrow and begin unbuttoning his cloak. GInny quickly got the idea and assisted him with his tie and the buttons on his shirt. He returned the favor and assisted her with her own row of buttons, hesitating before he pulled her blouse away.

"I-... I thought you were upset at me." Severus said softly, looking down at the ground, his hands dropping to his sides.

"I was. But I had a long discussion with a friend and I forgave you." He hands wavered as she pulled his blouse away from his pale collar bone. "I DO forgive you." She said, looking up into his searching expression. "Your past is yours and it wasn't acceptable for me to become as upset as I did over when and how you choose to share it." Her thumb stroked his white collar bone that glowed softly under the light of the full moon.

Severus took her hand gently. "No. You were right. I should have told you. I should have told you before we became close. You shouldn't forgive me, I was wrong." His fingers twined in hers as the moonlight scattered on the dark waters beside them.

Ginny thought for a long moment. "Then... make it up to me." She whispered, shaking her other hand into his shirt to pull it away from his body.

Severus' eyes widened momentarily in confusion, then softened in contentment. The hungry expression returned and soon their clothes were in two heaps by the waters edge as they slipped into the black waves together. Though it was mid-winter, it felt like sliding into a warm bath. The fathomless depths the same inky black that created her ceiling. She had long since stopped fearing the darkness, and in a way found herself feeling safe wrapped in the black abyss. Severus' arms wrapped gently around her waist.

"Is this what you want?" Severus asked, his voice husky in the night air. It reminded her of their first time.

"Yes." She whispered, pulling him in for a passionate kiss.

For the first time since she had found that odd jar, Ginny completely forgot about her penpal Starlight.

Morning came like a sledge hammer as light felt like it was flooding in from every angle while a troll hammered on her skull. Alright, it was two lamps. But it felt like the heart of the sun had wandered into her bed chamber. On her nightstand Ginny found a wit-sharpening potion, a pepper-up potion and a tall glass of water. She downed both of the potions without a second thought and sipped the water as she looked around. She was in the main common room chamber.

Memories of the night before flooded back to her like lilypads on a river. She remembered the soft touch of Severus' hand on her thigh in Hagrid's hut, Severus' pale scarred skin in the moonlight, making love in the Black Lake. Ginny blushed at her own memories. But after that things became fuzzy.


End file.
